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2,251,472	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:57	active	1669	Artisanal Vegan Essentials	Vegan dreams come true! 🌱 Introducing Wildgrain's 100% plant-based box: artisanal pastries, hand-cut pasta & fresh sourdough. "Life-changing!" - Kelly E. • Bake from frozen in 25 min or less • Customize with your fave breads, rolls, pasta & pastry combos • Choose how often you receive your box (skip/cancel anytime!)	LEARN_MORE	https://wildgrain.com/	Wildgrain	https://www.facebook.com/wildgrainbox/	22,738	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	wildgrain.com	VIDEO		https://wildgrain.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463661319_1263699381485936_7260889761099045851_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=dXhcaoQwYhAQ7kNvgE9lXMm&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Agr4PHOrf47cJlWSP9YoCPD&oh=00_AYAnHy7uYgf95qtBDS76Qbr8dO4FWN9DTGazPzNn93GY5g&oe=671B71FA	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Wildgrain	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,249,068	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2249064}'	No	2024-10-20 19:36	active	1668	"Limited Time Offer: Grab Your New Favorite Bag	Don't miss out on this amazing deal! Our new designer bag is the perfect way to add a touch of personality to your outfit. With free shipping and a stylish design, it's a must-have. Order now before they're gone!"	CONTACT_US	https://www.instagram.com/	mi.amor_store	https://www.facebook.com/100064243081313/	6	1969-12-31 18:00	Contact Us	instagram.com	CAROUSEL	Don't miss out on this amazing deal! Our new designer bag is the perfect way to add a touch of personality to your outfit. With free shipping and a stylish design, it's a must-have. Order now before they're gone!"	https://www.instagram.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464126197_1603928917205022_4328813183404990944_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=TeLuXVRXuW8Q7kNvgElbALI&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AI0d52vZrV20oFb9JVJ240y&oh=00_AYB77c9HCVHKbSCv3dcgRM1nPfmbXBRL-ZmC2BGZn8wmOw&oe=671B5A55	PERSON_PROFILE	0	mi.amor_store	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,249,016	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2249017}'	Yes	2024-10-20 19:36	active	1668	Ree's Grandest Giveaway ✨	Due to a packaging error, we've decided to BLESS the homes of over 5,000 families with brand new cook-sets! Just simply fill out the quick form to confirm eligibility. We only have a limited supply so grab one fast.	GET_OFFER_VIEW	https://smartlifestyletrends.world/index.php?key=e	Wellness Oasis	https://www.facebook.com/wellnessoasiss2/	18	1969-12-31 18:00	Get offer	smartlifestyletrends.world	VIDEO		https://smartlifestyletrends.world/index.php?key=eelzhn19fq9e4475ialk&ad_id={{ad.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&utm_source={{campaign.name}}&utm_campaign=Purchase&utm_medium=1326544354798925	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464032123_549718891041232_6655069294215749378_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=HleOU34oh3AQ7kNvgFXoGHe&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A7Ypu-1Q7_UlansyhVywX0Z&oh=00_AYDIpQJxHPIXNmSPUll7zke8aGfxO0mtSurAN5_xDexycQ&oe=671B7AC0	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Wellness Oasis	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,256,659	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2256652}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	😍Read the next chapters👉	This wasn’t the first time I received photos of Owen cheating on me. The blonde hair and slender build of the woman kissing him reminded me of my best friend Josie. Could it be…? No, she would never do that to me! With trembling fingers, I dropped my phone. How could my husband cheat on me?! I thought I was the most important person in his life. After 7 horrible years at the orphanage, I was adopted by Owen’s family. I saved Owen's life when we were young. His family was so grateful that they took me in. How could Owen betray me after everything we went through?! We grew up together and were always inseparable. We fell in love and got married when we were 22 years old. I can’t believe that was almost 3 years ago now. But Owen had been acting very strange lately. These photos seemed to explain why… I had to confront him. “Owen?” I called out. “Owen, where are you?” He didn't answer. He must be upstairs. I walked up the stairs and heard him talking to his friend Simon on the phone. As I was about to knock on the door, I overheard: “No, I don’t think I love her anymore.” His words gave me icy chills. “You should be happy, Simon. I know you like Noah. If we get a divorce, you can have her.” Owen continued. “He said...what?” I couldn’t believe my ears and cried in my heart, “How dare he talk about me like that? I wasn't just some object he could give away! ” Hearing Owen’s frivolous talk with his friend, I felt sick. I grew up with him and got married for so many years. But he recently acted like a stranger. Did he have a new love? Why did he treat me in such a cruel way?! I was almost to open the door to question him, but suddenly I hesitated, “Question him and then what? Do I want divorce? No, I don’t think so. Anyway, I have to calm down. At least I need to have a talk with him first. I need to know what happened to our marriage.” So, I quietly made my way back downstairs. I tried to forget about what I heard by preparing dinner. As I was dishing up our pasta, the delightful scent of italian herbs drifted through the house. I heard Owen come downstairs. “Just in time for your dinner, hun!” I said, trying to sound normal. But he was wearing his coat and gelled hair. He looked handsome as ever and ready to leave. I could smell his aftershave - my favorite smell in the world. “Where are you going? It’s getting late and dinner is ready.” I said. “Dinner with a client. Don’t wait for me.” Owen replied and left without hesitation. I sat alone at the table, looking at the food I’d carefully prepared for him. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I listlessly turned the spaghetti round and round with my fork. I wasn’t hungry. After storing away the leftovers, I stared at the TV for a while. Nothing could get my mind off of Owen and whoever that blonde tramp was. I made my way to the bathroom. I washed my mascara stained face and looked at myself in the mirror. Why did he stop loving me? Am I not beautiful enough? Did I not do enough to make him happy? I gave my body a scrutinizing glance, suddenly seeing all the parts of me that weren’t perfect. My belly wasn’t as flat as it used to be. Maybe I should’ve had my lips done, like my friend Josie. Mine always used to be fuller than hers. But now she had the plump, luscious lips of a model. After washing up, I went to bed. Dropping my face into my pillow, I felt miserable. I tried to fall asleep, but my mind kept wandering. Where was Owen? And with who? Will he even come home tonight? At 1 am, I finally heard the key turn in the front door. From all the stumbling I could hear Owen was very drunk. I swiftly made my way downstairs to help him to the bedroom. He started kissing me and said a blurry name. I tried to identify what it was. After he repeated it many times, I was shocked. It sounded like... “Joise”! “Josie…? Were you with Josie?” I asked with panic in my voice. I helped his heavy body into bed. He grunted some words I couldn’t understand. I couldn’t believe my husband cheated on me with my best friend. I cried and pleaded with him to see that it was me, not Josie. He pushed me away. As his head hit the pillow, he started snoring right away. Looking at my husband - completely drunk - I didn’t recognize the man I knew and loved. I tried to sleep next to him. But it felt like I was lying next to a stranger. I went downstairs and sat on the sofa all night, wide eyed, thinking about what happened between us. The next morning, Owen came downstairs after a shower. I wanted to ask him how he was feeling. He must be hungover. When I got up from the couch, I felt very weak and feverish. The sleepless night must've made me sick. “Owen, are you OK?” I asked as I struggled to walk over to him. I really wanted to hug him. If only for a sense of comfort. He swept my arms away and told me to leave him alone. I was so weak and dizzy, his push made me fall. Owen was stunned for a moment. Then he said coldly, “If you’re sick, go see a doctor.” I scrambled up to my feet, and looked at him with a shocked expression. Suddenly, his phone rang. As he lifted it to his ear, the screen lit up. I could clearly see who was calling: “Josie”. Chapter 2 - Hope Noah My heart sank when Owen picked up the phone. The screen clearly said “Josie”. He answered: “Hello? Yes, of course, sir. I can take a look at those documents for you.” I couldn't believe Owen was lying to my face. He glanced at me, then quickly walked over to the kitchen. When he thought I couldn't hear him, his voice softened. He sounded so sweet. Although I couldn’t hear his words, the way he spoke to Josie reminded me of the beginning of our romance. Owen was still trying to hide his betrayal from me. He must have forgotten that he gave away his secret last night, when he called me Josie. Those pictures on my phone left no doubt. He was cheating on me, with my best friend. I leaned up against the wall. I felt weakened by my fever and this emotional rollercoaster. I stared at my husband as he came back inside the living room. He avoided my eyes. It felt as if he had become a stranger. In the past, he would’ve never let me suffer like this. “I’ll pick you up later.” Owen said, ready to go. I grabbed his hand and begged him to stay with me. “Please, don’t leave. I'm sick, Owen. I need to see a doctor. I’m too weak to be all by myself.” He was very impatient. He said he had some important business to deal with. I couldn’t help crying as I watched him leave. My husband and my best friend were betraying me, behind my back. I walked up the stairs slowly, carefully holding on to the railing. I was so weak and fragile. Bed rest was my best option right now. I really needed my husband to take care of me. When we got married, he vowed to me: “In sickness and in health, in good times and bad”. This was definitely a bad time, and he was nowhere to be seen. When I woke up from my nap, I felt even worse. In my feverish haze, I reached for my phone and tried to call Owen. I opened my recent contacts and found that Owen had not had any calls with me these days at all. I had to open the contact list to look for him, but a few minutes later I dialed out with a headache and dizziness. Almost immediately I heard: “Hello, Noah?” The voice on the phone sounded very deep. I figured Owen got a cold after his late night out. “I’m so sick, I’m so weak. I need to get to the hospital. Please, come back, please…” I pleaded, my voice weak and trembling. “I’ll be right there.” Said the voice on the phone and hung up right away. His voice sounded different from before. And his tone was a little urgent. What’s wrong? I didn’t have enough energy to think about it. At least he might still care about me. That comforted me a lot. Before long, there was a heavy knock on the door. Did Owen leave his key? I opened the door, expecting to look into Owen's gray eyes, but found Raymond's kind, hazel brown eyes instead. What was he doing here? Raymond was Owen’s uncle. He was only several years older, but very mature. He was tall, tanned and handsome. His chocolate brown hair matched his eyes. With his strong, square jaw and muscular body. I always thought Owen was one of the most attractive men I knew. It wasn't until Raymond’s appearance that I realized how dominant the handsome genes are in this family in terms of good looking. After living in Australia for most of his life, he had come back several years ago to take over his family’s business. By now, he was the most successful CEO in the city. Although all women admired him, he remained single. “Does Owen know you’re sick?” Raymond said, looking concerned. “How did you know I'm sick? Do I look that terrible?” I asked, suddenly aware that I was only wearing my little nightgown, had no make-up on and had my hair up in a messy bun. Raymond smiled. “Don't worry, Noah. I got your call earlier.” Oops, I must have pressed the number of “Owen’s Boss” instead of “Owen”. I apologized for the inconvenience. “You are a member of our family, Noah. It’s my duty to take care of you. And you are never an inconvenience to me.” Raymond said as he took me by the arm to support me. He led me to his streamlined, dark gray Mercedes to drive me to the hospital. I sat down on the cream colored leather seat. His car smelled brand new. The seat was heated, which helped warm me up, but I was still shivering. Raymond took off his suede blazer and handed it to me. His simple act of kindness made me feel warm, inside and out. “Thank you, Raymond. This means a lot to me.” I said with a relieved sigh. “Of course, Noah. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.” He responded. He still had a slight Australian accent. He asked me what happened. I wouldn’t have shared my family’s private problems with another man who I didn’t even know very well. But at that time, I was on the very edge of a breakdown. I really needed someone to talk to. Yet when I lost two of my closest persons on the same day, my husband and my best friend, who else could I talk to? “I don’t think Owen loves me as much as before. It seems that he has some secrets with another woman, who used to be my best girlfriend. I couldn't sleep all night. I think that's what caused my fever.” I concluded. I was in tears again by the time I finished the story. “How could they do this to you? You are the best thing that's ever happened to Owen. If he can't see that, he is an even bigger idiot than I thought!” Raymond shouted out. His shocked, angry expression showed me how much he cared. “Please, don't say a word about this to Owen. I haven't confronted him yet. I need to do this myself.” I responded. We sat quietly for a while, his hand resting very close to my thigh. I felt so weak and miserable. But his presence helped. When seeing the private doctor, I tried to get out of the car but almost fell. Raymond flung an arm around me, just in time to catch me. I blushed as I looked up to him. My face was very close to his. His piercing eyes looked at me with an intensity I hadn’t seen before. I smelled something fresh. It might be his aftershave. I remembered Owen also used it, and I always told he that I love what he smelled. But I found Raymond’s aftershave smelled a little special. “Raymond? Noah? What are you doing?!” I suddenly heard Owen’s angry voice. Chapter 3 - Truth Noah Raymond quickly let go of me as Owen approached us. Just before taking a step back. I stumbled over to my husband. I wanted to lean on him for support, but he didn’t seem to care about me at all. All I could read on his face was anger. I tried to be strong and stand by myself, shivering with fever. “So, you’ve got a new love, huh? I saw you flirting with my uncle!” Owen spat his angry words at me. I turned pale. How could he say this to me? Especially after what he had done? I wasn’t the one who couldn’t be trusted! “Owen! How dare you talk to her like that! It’s not our family’s manner!” Raymond berated him. He was fuming with rage at the injustice. He also knew about Owen's betrayal. Owen was a little timid when Raymond got angry. Although Raymond was only 31 years old, he had become a successful CEO. He had idolized Raymond when he was a child. And now, Raymond was also his boss. Owen had recently started working at his company. Raymond’s fists were clenched and his tense muscles were visible through his buttoned up shirt. He looked like he was about to hit Owen. I didn’t want them to fight over me, so I tried to calm them both down. “Raymond, it’s okay. Owen will take me in to see a doctor. Thank you for driving me here.” I said gratefully. ‘Please, don’t say anything about Josie’, I tried to tell him mentally through the look in my eyes. He nodded slightly, as if he understood. He relaxed and his eyes softened when he looked at me. I turned back to my angry husband. I couldn’t detect any sign of trust in his eyes. I supposed he should be concerned about my health rather than the relationship between me and Raymond. “Owen, I can explain. I tried to call you, but I was so sick I accidentally dialed Raymond’s number. He brought me to see the doctor. You should be grateful to him. Without him I would still be miserable in bed, all alone.” Owen grabbed me and said, “Well, I was just on my way to come and get you. Then I saw you get out of uncle Raymond's car and ‘fall’ right into his arms.” He looked at Raymond with an arrogant smirk. “You can go back to your important job now, uncle. I’ll look after my wife.” Raymond’s eyes were cold, but he respected my wishes. He didn't object. After warning Owen that he’d better take good care of me, he got back in his car and drove off. Although I was glad I could lean on Owen, something didn't feel right. I realized I was still wearing his suede jacket. It was so soft and warm, protecting me from the cold autumn wind. When the doctor dealt with my fever, Owen didn’t want to speak to me, let alone look at me. He was engaging himself in typing on his phone. The doctor told me I shouldn't have waited much longer. My fever was so high I could have fainted. After getting examined and taking medicine for my fever, Owen drove me home. We sat next to each other in our car that held many memories. All our road trips and getaways together. Those times were over now. After an uncomfortable silence, I decided to address the elephant in the room. “Owen… What is going on? Do you still love me? Do you still regard me as your wife?” I asked. “So what? Whose wife do you want to be?” Owen hissed. I couldn't believe how horrible he was to me after what he had done. “I know you cheated on me, Owen.” I uttered with pain in my voice. “You’ve been seeing Josie, right?” Owen stopped the car with a jerk and pulled over. We sat in silence for a while as he processed my words. “What do you know, Noah?” he pressed, looking me in the eyes at last. I finally confronted him about all the things that had been weighing heavily on my heart. I explained: “Someone sent me photos of the two of you together. The first time, they didn't show your face. So I didn’t want to believe it. But in the ones I received yesterday, it was clearly you. All those nights, when you told me you had to leave town for business... You lied to me. You spent them at a hotel with another woman! Then, last night, you kissed me and called me Josie. And this morning, I saw it was her calling you. You pretended it was a client. “Owen, we have grown up together since we were kids. I always thought we knew each other the most and could trust each other. I can’t believe you would cheat me like that!” I cried, “Owen, did you fall in love with another woman... Is she my best friend Josie?!” His eyes showed a moment of doubt. Then, resolution. His mouth tightened as he clenched his jaw. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, Owen said: “It’s true. I love her. I love Josie.” Chapter 4 - Hurt Noah I just couldn't accept it. I loved him so much. How could he cheat on me? “Why, Owen? I thought we loved each other. I thought we would be together forever. Did I do something wrong?” I cried. Owen didn't respond. He drove us home in silence. His cruelty was too much for me to bear. I stared at the raindrops on the window. I felt more depressed than ever. That afternoon, Owen left again. I tried having some food and a nap, hoping that would help me heal. But I just couldn't fall asleep until Owen came back home in the early evening. I had to talk to him. I got out of bed and met him at the top of the stairs. “Owen, we need to talk about what happened. You can't keep going out and avoiding me.” He was obviously drunk again. All he said was, “I don’t have anything to say to you. I am moving out, Noah. I supposed our years of marriage is a mistake!” I took his hands in mine and begged him to stay and try to work it out. But he shook off my hands and pushed me away. I was standing right on the edge of the staircase. His push made me lose balance, and I tumbled down the stairs. I managed to grab onto the railing so I didn’t fall all the way down. But my head hit the wall when I tried to break my fall. I felt my forehead was bleeding. It was so painful that I couldn’t get up. I thought Owen would help me, but only heard: “You lost your footing. It’s not my fault.” There was a sudden knock on the door. Owen stumbled past me down the stairs. “Raymond? What are you doing here? Now is not a good time.” “I came to ask you what is going on. You need to give me an explanation. You haven’t … Noah?” Raymond suddenly saw me sitting on the stairs behind Owen. He pushed Owen aside and ran over to me in alarm. Seeing my messy hair and injured forehead, he instantly knew what happened between us. He punched Owen in the face. “This is how you treat your wife?! I don’t believe you. Don’t you see Noah is bleeding? Did you hurt her? What a disgusting thing you smelled! You drunk idiot!” Raymond raged at his nephew. I didn’t even have time to explain. Raymond immediately wrapped me up in his suit jacket and took me to see the doctor. “Twice in one day? That must be a record.” The doctor said wearily. I gave her a wry grin and answered, “Not by choice…” The doctor took care of my wounds. I needed a couple of stitches and had some pretty bad bruises, but I would be okay. Thankfully, I didn't break any bones. It was getting dark outside. The autumn breeze was busy blowing the leaves off the maple trees surrounding the hospital parking lot. Raymond and I made our way back to the car. Our feet rustled through the thick carpet of yellow, brown and scarlet red leaves. After my second - and hopefully last - doctor's visit of the day, we sat next to each other in silence. We were back in his beautiful Mercedes. I could get used to these comfortable, heated seats. I felt a bit embarrassed. Raymond kept on having to save me. At least this time, I was wearing clothes and make-up, and my brown hair was neatly tied in a long, wavy ponytail. “I don’t normally need so much help, you know.” I broke the ice. “I happen to be a strong, independent woman most of the time.” Raymond laughed heartily. “Jokes aside, I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me.” I continued. “Why did you come over tonight, Raymond?” “Owen hadn’t come to work at the company for days. And I wanted to speak to him about what happened this morning, with you. I tried to call him, but he never answered. I decided to come over. To see for myself what was wrong with him.” Raymond explained. “I just can’t believe what he did to you!” He continued. “If he ever does anything like that again, please tell me. I’ll teach him a lesson.” His stern face showed how much he meant it. I took a deep breath. He had a way of making me feel safe and secure. “Thank you, Raymond. I’m okay now. It was an accident. Owen didn’t push me off the stairs on purpose. He didn’t mean to hurt me.” I explained. Raymond looked a little angry, but he still carefully drove me home. “Goodbye, Raymond. Thank you again, for everything.” I said with feeling as he hugged me. “Bye, Noah. It’s been my pleasure. Please be safe. Call me if you need anything.” He said. He gently patted me on my head as comfort as if I was a little girl and got back in his car. His simple actions made me feel warm. I thanked him and walked home. I entered the house. It was quiet and dark downstairs. I walked up to our room. When I opened our bedroom door, all I could see was Owen and Josie kissing on the bed. Chapter 5 - The Necklace Noah I couldn’t believe my eyes! While the hours I was leaving, my husband was screwing with my best friend in my room! Didn’t he remember I got hurt because of him?! How ridiculous! Even though I had seen Owen and Josie’s betrayal before in photos, witnessing it in real life was way worse. It felt like a million knives stabbed me in the chest. My heart shattered. “How dare you cheat on me in our home! In our own bed, for God’s sake!” I cried out. They hadn’t heard me open the bedroom door over the romantic music that was playing. They turned around with shocked looks on their faces. If I wasn’t so devastated, it might’ve been funny. Owen's mouth had lipstick smears all over it, and Josie’s blonde hair was disheveled. They were both in their underwear. Clothes were spread out all over our bedroom floor. I tried to hold back my tears. I didn't want to show them my pain. My crying might come across as weakness. I demanded an explanation. “I don’t believe this. Owen! Did you forget I am your wife?! Josie, why did you betray me too?! I treat you as my best friend. How dare you take my husband away from me!” I insisted. Josie hid away in Owen’s arms. Owen comforted her gently, then snapped at me: “You’ve already seen us together anyway, haven't you, Noah?” “I am done with you.” He continued. “Our whole relationship was based on a lie. Josie should’ve been with me all along!” I didn’t understand. “What are you talking about, Owen?” He held up a delicate golden necklace with a tear shaped ruby that had been resting on Josie’s collarbone. “Remember this, Noah? The truth has finally come out. It was Josie who saved my life all those years ago, not you. You pretended that it was you in front of my parents. You’ve made her suffer long enough!” I was shocked. Why did Josie have my necklace? I couldn't believe her betrayal. I tried to explain to Owen that I lost that necklace before I was adopted by his family. I told him I would never lie to him. Especially about something so important. But Owen didn’t believe me. “Josie,” I cried. “How could you do this to me? Why would you steal my necklace? You know how much it means to me! We’ve been best friends since the orphanage, haven’t we? Does that mean nothing to you?” “Noah, you know this necklace has always belonged to me. I was the one who saved Owen. But you stole my life to be adopted,”Josie played innocent with me, “I should have been the one who grew up with Owen! I see you as my sister, so I never attempted to reveal your lie until Owen found this necklace in my old jewelry box several months ago.” This convinced Owen even more that I had been bullying her. He wrapped his arms around her. Over his shoulder, when he couldn’t see, Josie gave me a quick, mean smirk. I knew Josie had a mean side. She always had, even when we were kids. But so far, she had only taken it out on her boyfriends and whoever got on her bad side, not on me. I never thought she might treat me in such a mean way! I had searched everywhere but couldn't find my necklace. It turned out that she was the thief who was always around me. How could she tell such outrageous lies as if it were natural？ I left the bedroom, rushed downstairs and broke down on the couch. Oh, what a nightmare! How could I make Owen see the truth? A little later, Owen and Josie came downstairs, all dressed up again. Josie was wearing her Prada pumps and the sleek, mint green dress I gifted her for her birthday. It accentuated her long legs and slender silhouette. I had to admit, she looked beautiful. I used to dress in a simple way such as simple jeans, white blouse and sneakers. Maybe I looked less attractive compared to Josie. Owen had an arm around Josie’s waist and warned me, “You’d better stay out of our life from now on. I’ll move to another villa with Josie.” I couldn't believe it. After 3 years of marriage, he trusted her story over mine. And now he wanted nothing to do with me. We used to be happily married. Our whole lives, ever since I saved him, we had been so close. We used to laugh together, cry together, play pranks on each other… But now, everything changed, simply because of a necklace. In fact, “necklace” is just an excuse for his betrayal. I didn’t believe our years of affection couldn’t prove my heart. “Noah, my life was ruined by you. You owe me that.” Josie said. “One day you’ll both regret this. I didn’t do anything wrong.” I sobbed. As they walked out, I faintly heard Owen reply: “It’s my fault. I should have found you earlier, or you wouldn’t have suffered so much.” I could only guess at his last insult as the door closed behind them. I zoned out in front of the TV and poured myself some of Owen’s whisky. The past couple of days had been the worst of my life ever since I lost my parents. My body and mind had been through so much. I felt numb. I must have fallen asleep on the couch. The sudden loud jingle of my phone ringing woke me up. The bright midmorning sun was shining in through the large windows. Looks like I slept in late. Disoriented, I picked up my phone and saw it was Owen calling. I accepted the call and brought the phone to my ear. Before I could say a word, I heard Owen’s angry shouting: “How dare you do this to Josie! Those guys you hired? You must pay for what you have done!” Chapter 6 - Choice Noah “What?! What guys? I just woke up, Owen. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I replied to the angry voice on the phone. “More lies! I can’t believe you, Noah. You're despicable!” Owen shouted. He was so loud, I had to move the phone away from my ear. “Owen, please calm down. All I remember is you leaving with Josie last night. I fell asleep on the couch. What happened?” “Josie is in the hospital because of you. I demand that you come here right now and apologize to her!” He ended the call before I could reply. What was this about? Would my life ever go back to normal? I decided to find out what was going on. My fever was over. Although my head still hurt, the wound was healing rapidly. I took a refreshing shower and got into a pencil skirt and light blue blouse. I combed my hair and decided to wear it in natural loose waves today. After a quick breakfast, I slipped into my high heels and coat, and made my way to my car. It was a crisp sunny day. I arrived at the hospital. At least it wasn't me who needed to see the doctor this time. “Oh, it’s our ‘old friend’.” The nurse said jokingly. I smiled as she directed me to Josie’s room. As soon as I knocked on the door, Owen opened it with an enraged look on his face. “Finally! That took you long enough.” He whispered angrily. “Josie is sleeping.” He came out and gently closed the door behind him. We walked towards the chairs in the hallway. “I have no idea what happened, Owen.” I said honestly. “Can you please tell me what is going on? Some guys attacked her?” “Are you still pretending you weren't behind this? You are unbelievable.” He shook his head, then continued. “Josie was attacked by some hooligans this morning, on her way to work. She shouted out and fainted from fear. Thankfully, a police officer was nearby. He heard her scream. She has a heavy concussion from the fall. She'll have to stay here a few days to recover.” “What? That's horrible!” I replied in shock. Although I was angry with Josie, I wouldn't wish this on anyone. “Stop your act now, Noah. Those guys were arrested. They told the police someone paid them to kidnap Josie, because she broke up a marriage.” No wonder he doubted me. But I couldn’t believe the trust between us was so fragile. “Would you believe me if I swore to you it wasn't me?” I asked with a last glimmer of hope. His reply made it clear to me that there was no hope left for us: “Never again will I believe a single word you say, Noah.” I refused to apologize. I didn't have anything to do with this. If anyone needed to stand out and make an apology, it was them for what they had done to me！ On my way out, I contacted a friend who had lots of connections all over the city. I asked her to investigate the situation. I also called the office on my way home, to let them know I was still recovering from my fever and head wound. My boss was understanding. She told me to take as long as I needed. In the evening, Owen came home just as I was about to have dinner. “I didn’t prepare your dinner. I guess you would have dinner with Josie?” I said plainly. I didn’t know why he came back at this time, but I didn’t care about it anymore. He ignored my words and said, “You still don’t want to apologize, right? You have two choices, Noah. Apologize and make amends with Josie, or divorce me and get out of this house!” “Josie is the one who betrayed us both. She lied to you, Owen. She stole my necklace. She is the one who should apologize!” I argued. Owen burst out in rage and slapped me in the face. I stared at him in disbelief. I was totally disappointed. Over the past few days he had hit me, pushed me, cheated on me. He had hurt me in every way. I made up my mind. “I choose divorce.” I said coldly. “Good. My lawyer will contact you in the next morning,”Owen said ruthlessly with a wicked smile, “Oh, I’ve prepared another ‘surprise’ for you. Hope you will enjoy it!”	LEARN_MORE	https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=12690&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61560831098071/	20	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	redtgb.com	DCO		https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=12690&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/455865391_898185752348242_4786861724337625454_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ZaWayTM4prEQ7kNvgF-8Okg&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A2DNXhrVI1FC7xzw_nBFpTO&oh=00_AYBEyrOt2m9DOSiNZJEYxoFZeXo2v20X1PqD4etyDXXXpw&oe=671B80B8	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,256,654	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2256652}'	Yes	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	😍Read the next chapters👉	This wasn’t the first time I received photos of Owen cheating on me. The blonde hair and slender build of the woman kissing him reminded me of my best friend Josie. Could it be…? No, she would never do that to me! With trembling fingers, I dropped my phone. How could my husband cheat on me?! I thought I was the most important person in his life. After 7 horrible years at the orphanage, I was adopted by Owen’s family. I saved Owen's life when we were young. His family was so grateful that they took me in. How could Owen betray me after everything we went through?! We grew up together and were always inseparable. We fell in love and got married when we were 22 years old. I can’t believe that was almost 3 years ago now. But Owen had been acting very strange lately. These photos seemed to explain why… I had to confront him. “Owen?” I called out. “Owen, where are you?” He didn't answer. He must be upstairs. I walked up the stairs and heard him talking to his friend Simon on the phone. As I was about to knock on the door, I overheard: “No, I don’t think I love her anymore.” His words gave me icy chills. “You should be happy, Simon. I know you like Noah. If we get a divorce, you can have her.” Owen continued. “He said...what?” I couldn’t believe my ears and cried in my heart, “How dare he talk about me like that? I wasn't just some object he could give away! ” Hearing Owen’s frivolous talk with his friend, I felt sick. I grew up with him and got married for so many years. But he recently acted like a stranger. Did he have a new love? Why did he treat me in such a cruel way?! I was almost to open the door to question him, but suddenly I hesitated, “Question him and then what? Do I want divorce? No, I don’t think so. Anyway, I have to calm down. At least I need to have a talk with him first. I need to know what happened to our marriage.” So, I quietly made my way back downstairs. I tried to forget about what I heard by preparing dinner. As I was dishing up our pasta, the delightful scent of italian herbs drifted through the house. I heard Owen come downstairs. “Just in time for your dinner, hun!” I said, trying to sound normal. But he was wearing his coat and gelled hair. He looked handsome as ever and ready to leave. I could smell his aftershave - my favorite smell in the world. “Where are you going? It’s getting late and dinner is ready.” I said. “Dinner with a client. Don’t wait for me.” Owen replied and left without hesitation. I sat alone at the table, looking at the food I’d carefully prepared for him. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I listlessly turned the spaghetti round and round with my fork. I wasn’t hungry. After storing away the leftovers, I stared at the TV for a while. Nothing could get my mind off of Owen and whoever that blonde tramp was. I made my way to the bathroom. I washed my mascara stained face and looked at myself in the mirror. Why did he stop loving me? Am I not beautiful enough? Did I not do enough to make him happy? I gave my body a scrutinizing glance, suddenly seeing all the parts of me that weren’t perfect. My belly wasn’t as flat as it used to be. Maybe I should’ve had my lips done, like my friend Josie. Mine always used to be fuller than hers. But now she had the plump, luscious lips of a model. After washing up, I went to bed. Dropping my face into my pillow, I felt miserable. I tried to fall asleep, but my mind kept wandering. Where was Owen? And with who? Will he even come home tonight? At 1 am, I finally heard the key turn in the front door. From all the stumbling I could hear Owen was very drunk. I swiftly made my way downstairs to help him to the bedroom. He started kissing me and said a blurry name. I tried to identify what it was. After he repeated it many times, I was shocked. It sounded like... “Joise”! “Josie…? Were you with Josie?” I asked with panic in my voice. I helped his heavy body into bed. He grunted some words I couldn’t understand. I couldn’t believe my husband cheated on me with my best friend. I cried and pleaded with him to see that it was me, not Josie. He pushed me away. As his head hit the pillow, he started snoring right away. Looking at my husband - completely drunk - I didn’t recognize the man I knew and loved. I tried to sleep next to him. But it felt like I was lying next to a stranger. I went downstairs and sat on the sofa all night, wide eyed, thinking about what happened between us. The next morning, Owen came downstairs after a shower. I wanted to ask him how he was feeling. He must be hungover. When I got up from the couch, I felt very weak and feverish. The sleepless night must've made me sick. “Owen, are you OK?” I asked as I struggled to walk over to him. I really wanted to hug him. If only for a sense of comfort. He swept my arms away and told me to leave him alone. I was so weak and dizzy, his push made me fall. Owen was stunned for a moment. Then he said coldly, “If you’re sick, go see a doctor.” I scrambled up to my feet, and looked at him with a shocked expression. Suddenly, his phone rang. As he lifted it to his ear, the screen lit up. I could clearly see who was calling: “Josie”. Chapter 2 - Hope Noah My heart sank when Owen picked up the phone. The screen clearly said “Josie”. He answered: “Hello? Yes, of course, sir. I can take a look at those documents for you.” I couldn't believe Owen was lying to my face. He glanced at me, then quickly walked over to the kitchen. When he thought I couldn't hear him, his voice softened. He sounded so sweet. Although I couldn’t hear his words, the way he spoke to Josie reminded me of the beginning of our romance. Owen was still trying to hide his betrayal from me. He must have forgotten that he gave away his secret last night, when he called me Josie. Those pictures on my phone left no doubt. He was cheating on me, with my best friend. I leaned up against the wall. I felt weakened by my fever and this emotional rollercoaster. I stared at my husband as he came back inside the living room. He avoided my eyes. It felt as if he had become a stranger. In the past, he would’ve never let me suffer like this. “I’ll pick you up later.” Owen said, ready to go. I grabbed his hand and begged him to stay with me. “Please, don’t leave. I'm sick, Owen. I need to see a doctor. I’m too weak to be all by myself.” He was very impatient. He said he had some important business to deal with. I couldn’t help crying as I watched him leave. My husband and my best friend were betraying me, behind my back. I walked up the stairs slowly, carefully holding on to the railing. I was so weak and fragile. Bed rest was my best option right now. I really needed my husband to take care of me. When we got married, he vowed to me: “In sickness and in health, in good times and bad”. This was definitely a bad time, and he was nowhere to be seen. When I woke up from my nap, I felt even worse. In my feverish haze, I reached for my phone and tried to call Owen. I opened my recent contacts and found that Owen had not had any calls with me these days at all. I had to open the contact list to look for him, but a few minutes later I dialed out with a headache and dizziness. Almost immediately I heard: “Hello, Noah?” The voice on the phone sounded very deep. I figured Owen got a cold after his late night out. “I’m so sick, I’m so weak. I need to get to the hospital. Please, come back, please…” I pleaded, my voice weak and trembling. “I’ll be right there.” Said the voice on the phone and hung up right away. His voice sounded different from before. And his tone was a little urgent. What’s wrong? I didn’t have enough energy to think about it. At least he might still care about me. That comforted me a lot. Before long, there was a heavy knock on the door. Did Owen leave his key? I opened the door, expecting to look into Owen's gray eyes, but found Raymond's kind, hazel brown eyes instead. What was he doing here? Raymond was Owen’s uncle. He was only several years older, but very mature. He was tall, tanned and handsome. His chocolate brown hair matched his eyes. With his strong, square jaw and muscular body. I always thought Owen was one of the most attractive men I knew. It wasn't until Raymond’s appearance that I realized how dominant the handsome genes are in this family in terms of good looking. After living in Australia for most of his life, he had come back several years ago to take over his family’s business. By now, he was the most successful CEO in the city. Although all women admired him, he remained single. “Does Owen know you’re sick?” Raymond said, looking concerned. “How did you know I'm sick? Do I look that terrible?” I asked, suddenly aware that I was only wearing my little nightgown, had no make-up on and had my hair up in a messy bun. Raymond smiled. “Don't worry, Noah. I got your call earlier.” Oops, I must have pressed the number of “Owen’s Boss” instead of “Owen”. I apologized for the inconvenience. “You are a member of our family, Noah. It’s my duty to take care of you. And you are never an inconvenience to me.” Raymond said as he took me by the arm to support me. He led me to his streamlined, dark gray Mercedes to drive me to the hospital. I sat down on the cream colored leather seat. His car smelled brand new. The seat was heated, which helped warm me up, but I was still shivering. Raymond took off his suede blazer and handed it to me. His simple act of kindness made me feel warm, inside and out. “Thank you, Raymond. This means a lot to me.” I said with a relieved sigh. “Of course, Noah. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.” He responded. He still had a slight Australian accent. He asked me what happened. I wouldn’t have shared my family’s private problems with another man who I didn’t even know very well. But at that time, I was on the very edge of a breakdown. I really needed someone to talk to. Yet when I lost two of my closest persons on the same day, my husband and my best friend, who else could I talk to? “I don’t think Owen loves me as much as before. It seems that he has some secrets with another woman, who used to be my best girlfriend. I couldn't sleep all night. I think that's what caused my fever.” I concluded. I was in tears again by the time I finished the story. “How could they do this to you? You are the best thing that's ever happened to Owen. If he can't see that, he is an even bigger idiot than I thought!” Raymond shouted out. His shocked, angry expression showed me how much he cared. “Please, don't say a word about this to Owen. I haven't confronted him yet. I need to do this myself.” I responded. We sat quietly for a while, his hand resting very close to my thigh. I felt so weak and miserable. But his presence helped. When seeing the private doctor, I tried to get out of the car but almost fell. Raymond flung an arm around me, just in time to catch me. I blushed as I looked up to him. My face was very close to his. His piercing eyes looked at me with an intensity I hadn’t seen before. I smelled something fresh. It might be his aftershave. I remembered Owen also used it, and I always told he that I love what he smelled. But I found Raymond’s aftershave smelled a little special. “Raymond? Noah? What are you doing?!” I suddenly heard Owen’s angry voice. Chapter 3 - Truth Noah Raymond quickly let go of me as Owen approached us. Just before taking a step back. I stumbled over to my husband. I wanted to lean on him for support, but he didn’t seem to care about me at all. All I could read on his face was anger. I tried to be strong and stand by myself, shivering with fever. “So, you’ve got a new love, huh? I saw you flirting with my uncle!” Owen spat his angry words at me. I turned pale. How could he say this to me? Especially after what he had done? I wasn’t the one who couldn’t be trusted! “Owen! How dare you talk to her like that! It’s not our family’s manner!” Raymond berated him. He was fuming with rage at the injustice. He also knew about Owen's betrayal. Owen was a little timid when Raymond got angry. Although Raymond was only 31 years old, he had become a successful CEO. He had idolized Raymond when he was a child. And now, Raymond was also his boss. Owen had recently started working at his company. Raymond’s fists were clenched and his tense muscles were visible through his buttoned up shirt. He looked like he was about to hit Owen. I didn’t want them to fight over me, so I tried to calm them both down. “Raymond, it’s okay. Owen will take me in to see a doctor. Thank you for driving me here.” I said gratefully. ‘Please, don’t say anything about Josie’, I tried to tell him mentally through the look in my eyes. He nodded slightly, as if he understood. He relaxed and his eyes softened when he looked at me. I turned back to my angry husband. I couldn’t detect any sign of trust in his eyes. I supposed he should be concerned about my health rather than the relationship between me and Raymond. “Owen, I can explain. I tried to call you, but I was so sick I accidentally dialed Raymond’s number. He brought me to see the doctor. You should be grateful to him. Without him I would still be miserable in bed, all alone.” Owen grabbed me and said, “Well, I was just on my way to come and get you. Then I saw you get out of uncle Raymond's car and ‘fall’ right into his arms.” He looked at Raymond with an arrogant smirk. “You can go back to your important job now, uncle. I’ll look after my wife.” Raymond’s eyes were cold, but he respected my wishes. He didn't object. After warning Owen that he’d better take good care of me, he got back in his car and drove off. Although I was glad I could lean on Owen, something didn't feel right. I realized I was still wearing his suede jacket. It was so soft and warm, protecting me from the cold autumn wind. When the doctor dealt with my fever, Owen didn’t want to speak to me, let alone look at me. He was engaging himself in typing on his phone. The doctor told me I shouldn't have waited much longer. My fever was so high I could have fainted. After getting examined and taking medicine for my fever, Owen drove me home. We sat next to each other in our car that held many memories. All our road trips and getaways together. Those times were over now. After an uncomfortable silence, I decided to address the elephant in the room. “Owen… What is going on? Do you still love me? Do you still regard me as your wife?” I asked. “So what? Whose wife do you want to be?” Owen hissed. I couldn't believe how horrible he was to me after what he had done. “I know you cheated on me, Owen.” I uttered with pain in my voice. “You’ve been seeing Josie, right?” Owen stopped the car with a jerk and pulled over. We sat in silence for a while as he processed my words. “What do you know, Noah?” he pressed, looking me in the eyes at last. I finally confronted him about all the things that had been weighing heavily on my heart. I explained: “Someone sent me photos of the two of you together. The first time, they didn't show your face. So I didn’t want to believe it. But in the ones I received yesterday, it was clearly you. All those nights, when you told me you had to leave town for business... You lied to me. You spent them at a hotel with another woman! Then, last night, you kissed me and called me Josie. And this morning, I saw it was her calling you. You pretended it was a client. “Owen, we have grown up together since we were kids. I always thought we knew each other the most and could trust each other. I can’t believe you would cheat me like that!” I cried, “Owen, did you fall in love with another woman... Is she my best friend Josie?!” His eyes showed a moment of doubt. Then, resolution. His mouth tightened as he clenched his jaw. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, Owen said: “It’s true. I love her. I love Josie.” Chapter 4 - Hurt Noah I just couldn't accept it. I loved him so much. How could he cheat on me? “Why, Owen? I thought we loved each other. I thought we would be together forever. Did I do something wrong?” I cried. Owen didn't respond. He drove us home in silence. His cruelty was too much for me to bear. I stared at the raindrops on the window. I felt more depressed than ever. That afternoon, Owen left again. I tried having some food and a nap, hoping that would help me heal. But I just couldn't fall asleep until Owen came back home in the early evening. I had to talk to him. I got out of bed and met him at the top of the stairs. “Owen, we need to talk about what happened. You can't keep going out and avoiding me.” He was obviously drunk again. All he said was, “I don’t have anything to say to you. I am moving out, Noah. I supposed our years of marriage is a mistake!” I took his hands in mine and begged him to stay and try to work it out. But he shook off my hands and pushed me away. I was standing right on the edge of the staircase. His push made me lose balance, and I tumbled down the stairs. I managed to grab onto the railing so I didn’t fall all the way down. But my head hit the wall when I tried to break my fall. I felt my forehead was bleeding. It was so painful that I couldn’t get up. I thought Owen would help me, but only heard: “You lost your footing. It’s not my fault.” There was a sudden knock on the door. Owen stumbled past me down the stairs. “Raymond? What are you doing here? Now is not a good time.” “I came to ask you what is going on. You need to give me an explanation. You haven’t … Noah?” Raymond suddenly saw me sitting on the stairs behind Owen. He pushed Owen aside and ran over to me in alarm. Seeing my messy hair and injured forehead, he instantly knew what happened between us. He punched Owen in the face. “This is how you treat your wife?! I don’t believe you. Don’t you see Noah is bleeding? Did you hurt her? What a disgusting thing you smelled! You drunk idiot!” Raymond raged at his nephew. I didn’t even have time to explain. Raymond immediately wrapped me up in his suit jacket and took me to see the doctor. “Twice in one day? That must be a record.” The doctor said wearily. I gave her a wry grin and answered, “Not by choice…” The doctor took care of my wounds. I needed a couple of stitches and had some pretty bad bruises, but I would be okay. Thankfully, I didn't break any bones. It was getting dark outside. The autumn breeze was busy blowing the leaves off the maple trees surrounding the hospital parking lot. Raymond and I made our way back to the car. Our feet rustled through the thick carpet of yellow, brown and scarlet red leaves. After my second - and hopefully last - doctor's visit of the day, we sat next to each other in silence. We were back in his beautiful Mercedes. I could get used to these comfortable, heated seats. I felt a bit embarrassed. Raymond kept on having to save me. At least this time, I was wearing clothes and make-up, and my brown hair was neatly tied in a long, wavy ponytail. “I don’t normally need so much help, you know.” I broke the ice. “I happen to be a strong, independent woman most of the time.” Raymond laughed heartily. “Jokes aside, I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me.” I continued. “Why did you come over tonight, Raymond?” “Owen hadn’t come to work at the company for days. And I wanted to speak to him about what happened this morning, with you. I tried to call him, but he never answered. I decided to come over. To see for myself what was wrong with him.” Raymond explained. “I just can’t believe what he did to you!” He continued. “If he ever does anything like that again, please tell me. I’ll teach him a lesson.” His stern face showed how much he meant it. I took a deep breath. He had a way of making me feel safe and secure. “Thank you, Raymond. I’m okay now. It was an accident. Owen didn’t push me off the stairs on purpose. He didn’t mean to hurt me.” I explained. Raymond looked a little angry, but he still carefully drove me home. “Goodbye, Raymond. Thank you again, for everything.” I said with feeling as he hugged me. “Bye, Noah. It’s been my pleasure. Please be safe. Call me if you need anything.” He said. He gently patted me on my head as comfort as if I was a little girl and got back in his car. His simple actions made me feel warm. I thanked him and walked home. I entered the house. It was quiet and dark downstairs. I walked up to our room. When I opened our bedroom door, all I could see was Owen and Josie kissing on the bed. Chapter 5 - The Necklace Noah I couldn’t believe my eyes! While the hours I was leaving, my husband was screwing with my best friend in my room! Didn’t he remember I got hurt because of him?! How ridiculous! Even though I had seen Owen and Josie’s betrayal before in photos, witnessing it in real life was way worse. It felt like a million knives stabbed me in the chest. My heart shattered. “How dare you cheat on me in our home! In our own bed, for God’s sake!” I cried out. They hadn’t heard me open the bedroom door over the romantic music that was playing. They turned around with shocked looks on their faces. If I wasn’t so devastated, it might’ve been funny. Owen's mouth had lipstick smears all over it, and Josie’s blonde hair was disheveled. They were both in their underwear. Clothes were spread out all over our bedroom floor. I tried to hold back my tears. I didn't want to show them my pain. My crying might come across as weakness. I demanded an explanation. “I don’t believe this. Owen! Did you forget I am your wife?! Josie, why did you betray me too?! I treat you as my best friend. How dare you take my husband away from me!” I insisted. Josie hid away in Owen’s arms. Owen comforted her gently, then snapped at me: “You’ve already seen us together anyway, haven't you, Noah?” “I am done with you.” He continued. “Our whole relationship was based on a lie. Josie should’ve been with me all along!” I didn’t understand. “What are you talking about, Owen?” He held up a delicate golden necklace with a tear shaped ruby that had been resting on Josie’s collarbone. “Remember this, Noah? The truth has finally come out. It was Josie who saved my life all those years ago, not you. You pretended that it was you in front of my parents. You’ve made her suffer long enough!” I was shocked. Why did Josie have my necklace? I couldn't believe her betrayal. I tried to explain to Owen that I lost that necklace before I was adopted by his family. I told him I would never lie to him. Especially about something so important. But Owen didn’t believe me. “Josie,” I cried. “How could you do this to me? Why would you steal my necklace? You know how much it means to me! We’ve been best friends since the orphanage, haven’t we? Does that mean nothing to you?” “Noah, you know this necklace has always belonged to me. I was the one who saved Owen. But you stole my life to be adopted,”Josie played innocent with me, “I should have been the one who grew up with Owen! I see you as my sister, so I never attempted to reveal your lie until Owen found this necklace in my old jewelry box several months ago.” This convinced Owen even more that I had been bullying her. He wrapped his arms around her. Over his shoulder, when he couldn’t see, Josie gave me a quick, mean smirk. I knew Josie had a mean side. She always had, even when we were kids. But so far, she had only taken it out on her boyfriends and whoever got on her bad side, not on me. I never thought she might treat me in such a mean way! I had searched everywhere but couldn't find my necklace. It turned out that she was the thief who was always around me. How could she tell such outrageous lies as if it were natural？ I left the bedroom, rushed downstairs and broke down on the couch. Oh, what a nightmare! How could I make Owen see the truth? A little later, Owen and Josie came downstairs, all dressed up again. Josie was wearing her Prada pumps and the sleek, mint green dress I gifted her for her birthday. It accentuated her long legs and slender silhouette. I had to admit, she looked beautiful. I used to dress in a simple way such as simple jeans, white blouse and sneakers. Maybe I looked less attractive compared to Josie. Owen had an arm around Josie’s waist and warned me, “You’d better stay out of our life from now on. I’ll move to another villa with Josie.” I couldn't believe it. After 3 years of marriage, he trusted her story over mine. And now he wanted nothing to do with me. We used to be happily married. Our whole lives, ever since I saved him, we had been so close. We used to laugh together, cry together, play pranks on each other… But now, everything changed, simply because of a necklace. In fact, “necklace” is just an excuse for his betrayal. I didn’t believe our years of affection couldn’t prove my heart. “Noah, my life was ruined by you. You owe me that.” Josie said. “One day you’ll both regret this. I didn’t do anything wrong.” I sobbed. As they walked out, I faintly heard Owen reply: “It’s my fault. I should have found you earlier, or you wouldn’t have suffered so much.” I could only guess at his last insult as the door closed behind them. I zoned out in front of the TV and poured myself some of Owen’s whisky. The past couple of days had been the worst of my life ever since I lost my parents. My body and mind had been through so much. I felt numb. I must have fallen asleep on the couch. The sudden loud jingle of my phone ringing woke me up. The bright midmorning sun was shining in through the large windows. Looks like I slept in late. Disoriented, I picked up my phone and saw it was Owen calling. I accepted the call and brought the phone to my ear. Before I could say a word, I heard Owen’s angry shouting: “How dare you do this to Josie! Those guys you hired? You must pay for what you have done!” Chapter 6 - Choice Noah “What?! What guys? I just woke up, Owen. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I replied to the angry voice on the phone. “More lies! I can’t believe you, Noah. You're despicable!” Owen shouted. He was so loud, I had to move the phone away from my ear. “Owen, please calm down. All I remember is you leaving with Josie last night. I fell asleep on the couch. What happened?” “Josie is in the hospital because of you. I demand that you come here right now and apologize to her!” He ended the call before I could reply. What was this about? Would my life ever go back to normal? I decided to find out what was going on. My fever was over. Although my head still hurt, the wound was healing rapidly. I took a refreshing shower and got into a pencil skirt and light blue blouse. I combed my hair and decided to wear it in natural loose waves today. After a quick breakfast, I slipped into my high heels and coat, and made my way to my car. It was a crisp sunny day. I arrived at the hospital. At least it wasn't me who needed to see the doctor this time. “Oh, it’s our ‘old friend’.” The nurse said jokingly. I smiled as she directed me to Josie’s room. As soon as I knocked on the door, Owen opened it with an enraged look on his face. “Finally! That took you long enough.” He whispered angrily. “Josie is sleeping.” He came out and gently closed the door behind him. We walked towards the chairs in the hallway. “I have no idea what happened, Owen.” I said honestly. “Can you please tell me what is going on? Some guys attacked her?” “Are you still pretending you weren't behind this? You are unbelievable.” He shook his head, then continued. “Josie was attacked by some hooligans this morning, on her way to work. She shouted out and fainted from fear. Thankfully, a police officer was nearby. He heard her scream. She has a heavy concussion from the fall. She'll have to stay here a few days to recover.” “What? That's horrible!” I replied in shock. Although I was angry with Josie, I wouldn't wish this on anyone. “Stop your act now, Noah. Those guys were arrested. They told the police someone paid them to kidnap Josie, because she broke up a marriage.” No wonder he doubted me. But I couldn’t believe the trust between us was so fragile. “Would you believe me if I swore to you it wasn't me?” I asked with a last glimmer of hope. His reply made it clear to me that there was no hope left for us: “Never again will I believe a single word you say, Noah.” I refused to apologize. I didn't have anything to do with this. If anyone needed to stand out and make an apology, it was them for what they had done to me！ On my way out, I contacted a friend who had lots of connections all over the city. I asked her to investigate the situation. I also called the office on my way home, to let them know I was still recovering from my fever and head wound. My boss was understanding. She told me to take as long as I needed. In the evening, Owen came home just as I was about to have dinner. “I didn’t prepare your dinner. I guess you would have dinner with Josie?” I said plainly. I didn’t know why he came back at this time, but I didn’t care about it anymore. He ignored my words and said, “You still don’t want to apologize, right? You have two choices, Noah. Apologize and make amends with Josie, or divorce me and get out of this house!” “Josie is the one who betrayed us both. She lied to you, Owen. She stole my necklace. She is the one who should apologize!” I argued. Owen burst out in rage and slapped me in the face. I stared at him in disbelief. I was totally disappointed. Over the past few days he had hit me, pushed me, cheated on me. He had hurt me in every way. I made up my mind. “I choose divorce.” I said coldly. “Good. My lawyer will contact you in the next morning,”Owen said ruthlessly with a wicked smile, “Oh, I’ve prepared another ‘surprise’ for you. Hope you will enjoy it!”	LEARN_MORE	https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=12690&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61560831098071/	20	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	redtgb.com	DCO		https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=12690&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/455865391_898185752348242_4786861724337625454_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ZaWayTM4prEQ7kNvgF-8Okg&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A2DNXhrVI1FC7xzw_nBFpTO&oh=00_AYBEyrOt2m9DOSiNZJEYxoFZeXo2v20X1PqD4etyDXXXpw&oe=671B80B8	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,254,256	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2255990}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	😍Read the next chapters👉	Madeline felt nauseous, feeling like she needed to purge immediately. She crouched down to clutch the bin and gagged, but nothing came up. Trevon watched, his brow furrowed in disbelief. Why did her sickness stir something in him? Was it a mere coincidence? Seeing her ashen face, it was clear she was unwell. Trevor gave Madeline a questioning look. "Are you sick? When did it start? What's wrong?" Madeline felt the urge to throw up but could not, which only intensified her discomfort. Clinging to the trash can seemed like the only thing she could do. At the sound of his question, her fingers tensed uncontrollably. She forced a casual response. "Maybe it's just a cold. No big deal." "Answer me!" His voice turned sharp, sending a jolt through Madeline, and she murmured almost without thinking. "This afternoon, when you were… I'm just feeling a bit of chest tightness, weak limbs, and a touch of nausea. Typical cold symptoms." She did not bring up the hospital visit, quickly labeling it a cold to avoid any wild guesses. The timing and the symptoms lined up perfectly. 'So, it's because we caught a cold at the same time?' Trevon wondered. Madeline finally let go of her resistance. She deliberately avoided the divorce papers on the table and fetched the sour orange she had bought earlier from the fridge. Her mouth was unbearably uncomfortable, and she craved the relief of something sour. After all, she would need some strength in her hand to sign those papers. The moment she took out the sour orange, its tangy scent filled the room. Catching a glimpse of Trevon standing to the side, watching her with a frown, she hesitated before offering, "Want one?" Trevon looked away, clearly uninterested. Madeline chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry, it slipped my mind. You're not into sour stuff." However, as she sliced into the vibrant sour orange and its juicy interior burst with a potent tangy aroma, Trevon seemed unable to look away. Madeline was about to take a bite when she noticed Trevon approaching. His towering presence felt like a wall closing in, making the kitchen feel smaller by the second. Instinctively, Madeline stepped back. "If you don't like it, then I'll just..."	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=10922&ut	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61560831098071/	20	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	beokn.com	DCO		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=10922&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/449649369_982697950216881_6633127791340967840_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=VVS9Dl8D8DkQ7kNvgEsaSOb&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AjJbk317Rz_lcQtFlo-nETJ&oh=00_AYCustxD7erI73ozuGTYZmrFghpirZv8qUXFmEINUQsn6Q&oe=671B744C	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,251,350	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-20 19:55	active	1669	Home	Our team would like to give a big thank you to Michael for their 5-star review.🌟 Briggs is here for all of your maintenance and repair needs. Cheers to another satisfied customer! #googlereview #satisfiedcustomer	LEARN_MORE	http://briggsmechanical.com/	Briggs Mechanical Inc	https://www.facebook.com/briggsmechanical/	387	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	briggsmechanical.com	IMAGE	Leading the way in HVAC solutions, our team offers expert installations, repairs, and maintenance services.	http://briggsmechanical.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463749966_519283860950173_5166049445655931428_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zCGaPfjr5nkQ7kNvgGDJHf5&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AfhLIXbx7sFH7p0sR4YIQT-&oh=00_AYCoRCYhajBGEuGQKJ6LGgZFsCelC0qUfEzp_pkQKeVOSA&oe=671B5DAE	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Briggs Mechanical Inc	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,256,308	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2255871}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	In Debra's last life, she loved Juan so much, but everyone knew that the one he cherished was Shelia. After Debra was drained of her last bit of value by Juan, she tragically died on the operating table. Reborn in this life, Debra swears never to repeat the same mistakes, and she will make Juan regret what he has done! "Get the defibrillator! Increase the voltage!" "Doctor! The patient is experiencing massive bleeding, and the A-type blood from the blood bank was just urgently taken away." The intern nurse's hands were covered in blood, and she trembled. The operating room reeked of blood. She had never seen so much blood before. At that moment, a thought flashed through her mind. 'Who would suddenly take away A-type blood from the blood bank?' The woman lying on the bed was pale. Her lips were dry, and her eyes started to lose focus. "Juan..." "What?" "Juan Nichols..." The intern nurse made out the name murmured by Debra Frazier. Juan Nichols was the most influential businessman in Seamar City. The doctor was on the verge of collapse. He dialed the wrong number three times before finally getting it right. He quickly pleaded with the person on the other end of the phone, "Mr. Nichols, your wife is experiencing massive bleeding, but the blood from the blood bank has been taken away. Please, come and see her for the last time." But Juan's voice was filled with indifference. "She's still alive? Call me when she's dead." With that, he hung up the phone. All the light disappeared from Debra's eyes. 'Juan, do you hate me so much? Even at this point, you wouldn't come to see me.' The machine emitted a flat, cold beep, indicating the patient's vital signs had disappeared. Debra felt her soul leaving her body. Her withered, frail body collapsed weakly on the bed. Debra felt exhausted. At just twenty-seven, she died from postpartum hemorrhage in the hospital. In her lifetime, she loved Juan dearly. As the only daughter of the Frazier family, she should have enjoyed the best life. But to marry Juan, she sacrificed herself and her family. In the end, she met a tragic fate. Debra slowly closed her eyes. Given another chance, she would never make the same mistakes. ... "Madam, Mr. Nichols wants to take you to the auction. Which outfit would you like to wear?" Sophie asked. Debra gasped and opened her eyes. Everything in front of her was strikingly familiar. This place was Juan and her home. They had been married for a month, but Juan had rarely visited her. She remembered that Juan was attending a land auction, and due to the occasion, he had to bring his family along. But this was all five years ago. 'How could it be? ' she thought, deeply confused, 'Am I reborn?' "Mr. Nichols has never stayed overnight before. You should seize this opportunity." Sophie’s voice brought Debra back to reality. She picked out a white gown, hesitating. "How about this one, Madam?" Looking at it, Debra gave a self-deprecating smile. It was well known that Juan favored Shelia. In the past, she often dressed like Shelia to please Juan Miles. Shelia liked white dresses, so she followed suit, just to earn a little favor from Juan. For this auction, Juan didn't inform her of the change in companion and brought Shelia instead, making her look ridiculous in a white dress similar to Shelia's. The thought of the past made her laugh. "No, I'll wear that one," she said, picking up a red dress. Debra never liked plain clothes. Shelia was just a poor college student. Debra felt that she must have lost her mind to wear cheap clothes for a man. It only lowered her status and self-esteem. "But Mr. Nichols likes white dresses," Sophie said hesitantly. Debra simply ignored her hints. "I'll wear this one," she said. "Throw away all those white dresses. I don't like them." Sophie sighed and complied. Debra looked at herself in the mirror, still vibrant and beautiful. But in a few years, she would be worn down by Juan's torment. Before that happened, she would end it all. In the evening, Debra appeared in a burgundy dress that accentuated her curves. Her delicate makeup, curls, and a mole under her eye made her mesmerizing. She looked like a painting, untouchable. Not far away, a man in a white shirt and black leather combat boots saw her. With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Marion Houston asked, "Who is she?" "You don't know her? She's Debra, the daughter of the Frazier family and Juan's wife," said his friend, Randy Osborne. "I just saw Juan entering with another woman. Maybe we'll witness a showdown between the mistress and the wife. It will be fun." Marion made no comments. Randy clicked his tongue. "Juan's taste is just terrible, preferring a skinny woman to his beautiful woman. Don't you think?" Randy turned around, but Marion was nowhere to be seen. "Damn it!" he cursed, quickly catching up with Marion. Shelia, in a white dress, held Juan's arm timidly. "I've never been to such an event before. Maybe I should go back." "You'll get used to it. You'll be attending these events frequently in the future," Juan said. Shelia nodded. Juan was about to enter with Shelia when Joe spoke up. "Sir, won't we wait for Mrs. Nichols?" Juan frowned. "Didn't I ask you to tell her not to come today?" Joe glanced at Shelia, and she quickly said, "It's not Joe's fault. I told him not to inform Debra. With my status, I'm afraid of gossip, so I thought it would be better for Debra to accompany you in." Shelia lowered her head like a scared hare. Juan rubbed his temples. He didn't want Debra to show up at all. "Mr. Nichols," Shelia murmured, biting her lip. "It's alright." Juan patted Shelia's head and said to Joe, "Go intercept her and send her away." In the crowd, there were murmurs of surprise. Joe looked over and was also shocked. "I'm afraid it's too late."	LEARN_MORE	https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=1	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	224	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	thebvhwysgng.com	DCO		https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13914&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462490777_1052928846505021_1590141424373732974_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=BZjPqZzAKEIQ7kNvgEqsO5n&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AyojWv5fL2K1iTAJc0_rJuE&oh=00_AYDAvLYs-Co5S7CVoUry6zscGRNnuSpsT9Fpp7nbRRHAGw&oe=671B8393	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,255,906	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2255871}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	In Debra's last life, she loved Juan so much, but everyone knew that the one he cherished was Shelia. After Debra was drained of her last bit of value by Juan, she tragically died on the operating table. Reborn in this life, Debra swears never to repeat the same mistakes, and she will make Juan regret what he has done! "Get the defibrillator! Increase the voltage!" "Doctor! The patient is experiencing massive bleeding, and the A-type blood from the blood bank was just urgently taken away." The intern nurse's hands were covered in blood, and she trembled. The operating room reeked of blood. She had never seen so much blood before. At that moment, a thought flashed through her mind. 'Who would suddenly take away A-type blood from the blood bank?' The woman lying on the bed was pale. Her lips were dry, and her eyes started to lose focus. "Juan..." "What?" "Juan Nichols..." The intern nurse made out the name murmured by Debra Frazier. Juan Nichols was the most influential businessman in Seamar City. The doctor was on the verge of collapse. He dialed the wrong number three times before finally getting it right. He quickly pleaded with the person on the other end of the phone, "Mr. Nichols, your wife is experiencing massive bleeding, but the blood from the blood bank has been taken away. Please, come and see her for the last time." But Juan's voice was filled with indifference. "She's still alive? Call me when she's dead." With that, he hung up the phone. All the light disappeared from Debra's eyes. 'Juan, do you hate me so much? Even at this point, you wouldn't come to see me.' The machine emitted a flat, cold beep, indicating the patient's vital signs had disappeared. Debra felt her soul leaving her body. Her withered, frail body collapsed weakly on the bed. Debra felt exhausted. At just twenty-seven, she died from postpartum hemorrhage in the hospital. In her lifetime, she loved Juan dearly. As the only daughter of the Frazier family, she should have enjoyed the best life. But to marry Juan, she sacrificed herself and her family. In the end, she met a tragic fate. Debra slowly closed her eyes. Given another chance, she would never make the same mistakes. ... "Madam, Mr. Nichols wants to take you to the auction. Which outfit would you like to wear?" Sophie asked. Debra gasped and opened her eyes. Everything in front of her was strikingly familiar. This place was Juan and her home. They had been married for a month, but Juan had rarely visited her. She remembered that Juan was attending a land auction, and due to the occasion, he had to bring his family along. But this was all five years ago. 'How could it be? ' she thought, deeply confused, 'Am I reborn?' "Mr. Nichols has never stayed overnight before. You should seize this opportunity." Sophie’s voice brought Debra back to reality. She picked out a white gown, hesitating. "How about this one, Madam?" Looking at it, Debra gave a self-deprecating smile. It was well known that Juan favored Shelia. In the past, she often dressed like Shelia to please Juan Miles. Shelia liked white dresses, so she followed suit, just to earn a little favor from Juan. For this auction, Juan didn't inform her of the change in companion and brought Shelia instead, making her look ridiculous in a white dress similar to Shelia's. The thought of the past made her laugh. "No, I'll wear that one," she said, picking up a red dress. Debra never liked plain clothes. Shelia was just a poor college student. Debra felt that she must have lost her mind to wear cheap clothes for a man. It only lowered her status and self-esteem. "But Mr. Nichols likes white dresses," Sophie said hesitantly. Debra simply ignored her hints. "I'll wear this one," she said. "Throw away all those white dresses. I don't like them." Sophie sighed and complied. Debra looked at herself in the mirror, still vibrant and beautiful. But in a few years, she would be worn down by Juan's torment. Before that happened, she would end it all. In the evening, Debra appeared in a burgundy dress that accentuated her curves. Her delicate makeup, curls, and a mole under her eye made her mesmerizing. She looked like a painting, untouchable. Not far away, a man in a white shirt and black leather combat boots saw her. With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Marion Houston asked, "Who is she?" "You don't know her? She's Debra, the daughter of the Frazier family and Juan's wife," said his friend, Randy Osborne. "I just saw Juan entering with another woman. Maybe we'll witness a showdown between the mistress and the wife. It will be fun." Marion made no comments. Randy clicked his tongue. "Juan's taste is just terrible, preferring a skinny woman to his beautiful woman. Don't you think?" Randy turned around, but Marion was nowhere to be seen. "Damn it!" he cursed, quickly catching up with Marion. Shelia, in a white dress, held Juan's arm timidly. "I've never been to such an event before. Maybe I should go back." "You'll get used to it. You'll be attending these events frequently in the future," Juan said. Shelia nodded. Juan was about to enter with Shelia when Joe spoke up. "Sir, won't we wait for Mrs. Nichols?" Juan frowned. "Didn't I ask you to tell her not to come today?" Joe glanced at Shelia, and she quickly said, "It's not Joe's fault. I told him not to inform Debra. With my status, I'm afraid of gossip, so I thought it would be better for Debra to accompany you in." Shelia lowered her head like a scared hare. Juan rubbed his temples. He didn't want Debra to show up at all. "Mr. Nichols," Shelia murmured, biting her lip. "It's alright." Juan patted Shelia's head and said to Joe, "Go intercept her and send her away." In the crowd, there were murmurs of surprise. Joe looked over and was also shocked. "I'm afraid it's too late."	LEARN_MORE	https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=1	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	224	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	thebvhwysgng.com	DCO		https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13914&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461199100_931047472174222_6792821539907872477_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=wQRoPwSTpPQQ7kNvgEgV5jp&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AR8RjtYluVBv7oqAaHkyIR4&oh=00_AYBkOYL0M11yuRrU4KK_CgLWp1_MQ5w8hsBEEfKA29HipA&oe=671B8D48	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,254,371	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2255834}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	At Grace Mansion, Carissa Sinclair stared at the man before her—her husband she had waited for a whole year. Barrett Warren, still in his battle armor, wore an expression of both determination and guilt. "Carissa, the king has issued a royal edict for my marriage with Aurora. She will be joining our household. There's no question about it," said Barrett. Carissa's eyes clouded with confusion. "The queen dowager has praised General Yates as a model for all women in the kingdom. Would she be willing to be a concubine?" Barrett's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. "No, she won’t be a concubine. She’ll be my legal wife, equal to you." "But calling her equal doesn't change the fact that she’s still just a concubine," Carissa said, a soft smile playing on her lips. Barrett frowned. "Why can't you face the reality? Aurora and I fell in love with each other on the battlefield, and we earned this marriage with our glorified victory. In fact, I don’t really need your approval on it." Carissa smiled mockingly. "Fell in love, huh? Have you forgot what you promised me before you left for war?" On their wedding night a year ago, Barrett was called away to lead reinforcements on an expedition. Before he left, he lifted his wife’s veil and vowed, "Carrisa Sinclair, you're the only woman I'll ever love in my life. I will never take a concubine!" Embarrassed, Barrett avoided her eye contact. "Just forget what I said. Back then, I only considered you a suitable match for a wife. I knew nothing about love until I met Rory." When he spoke of the woman he loved, his eyes softened with deep affection. Turning back to Carissa, he added, "She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met. I love her deeply, and I hope you'll be generous enough to welcome her." Carissa felt a lump in her throat. Despite her disgust and reluctance, she asked, "What about your parents? Do they agree?" "They do. It was a royal edict, and mother liked her a lot upon seeing her." They agreed? Huh... How ironic! Seems like everything Carissa had done for this household had all been for nothing. "Is she currently in the mansion?" Carissa asked, lifting a brow. Barrett carried a softness in his voice, "Yes, she’s talking to my mother and making her very happy. Even mother's health seems to be improving." "Improving?" Carissa felt a whirlwind of emotions. "When you went to war, your mother was already gravely ill. I brought in the best physician, managed the estate’s affairs by day, and stayed up nights caring for her. That's how her condition started to improve." Carissa wasn’t seeking praise. She was just laying out the facts of her exhausting year. "But seeing Aurora has made my mother feel even better," Barrett said earnestly. "I know this is unfair to you, but for the greater good, please support Aurora and me." Carissa lowered her eyes, as if blinking away the tears. But inspected closely, that's actually her sharpened gaze. "Invite General Yates over. I have a few things to ask her." "There's no need," Barrett refused instantly. "Carissa, she’s different from any woman you know. As a general, she’s above household squabbles and wouldn’t want to meet you." Carissa retorted, "What are women I know like? Or tell me, what kind of woman am I to you? Have you forgotten? I'm also the daughter of the Marquis's family. My father and my six brothers sacrificed on the Southern Frontier three years ago-" "That’s them," Barrett interrupted. "you're still a delicate woman suited only for home comforts, while Aurora has no respect for that. Besides, she never holds back her true thoughts. Trust me, you won't want to hear it from her." As Carissa looked up, the striking beauty mark under her eye became more evident in the light. Calmly, she said, "It’s fine. If she says anything unpleasant, I’ll ignore it. A true matriarch must understand the bigger picture and act with dignity. Don’t you trust me?" Barrett sighed in frustration. “Why put yourself through this? The king has approved this marriage, and Aurora will never threaten your control of the household. Carissa, she couldn't care less about those things.” “Oh, you think that's what I fear? Losing the control of this household?” Carissa countered. Little did Barrett know his household had been reduced to a hollow shell - managing it was a hot potato no one else would bear. Over the past year, it was Carissa's dowry alone that kept the Warren family’s life respectable, and this was her reward. “Enough,” Barrett snapped, his patience running thin. “I’ve done my duty by informing you. Your opinion won’t change anything.” As Carissa watched hum storm out, her bitterness deepened. “My lady, my lord has really crossed the line!” Lulu, Carissa’s maid, said, wiping her tears. “Don’t call him that!” Carissa gave her a stern look. “We never consummated the marriage. He’s not your lord. Now go fetch my dowry list.” “Why the dowry list?” Lulu asked, puzzled. Carissa tapped her on the forehead. “Silly girl, we need to reckon everything before we leave.” Lulu gasped. “Leave? But where can we go? To the Northwatch Estate?” Suddenly Lulu held her tongue, aware that she had touched the sensitive subject. She spared Carissa a guilty look, "I'll get the list now, my lady." Upon the mention of Northwatch Estate, the always restrained Carissa finally let her tears fall. When she was fifteen, her father, the Marquis of Northwatch, had sacrificed his life on the battlefield. Then, just six months ago, her entire family at the Northwatch Estate was brutally slaughtered — assassins rumored to be spies from the enemy nation, Westhaven. She rushed back after getting the news, only to find the dismembered bodies of her mother and grandmother. Even her youngest nephew, two years old, didn't escape death, neither. Now, she was the lone survivor of the marquis' family, the idea of restoring her family’s former glory seemed impossible—at least to outsiders. After all, she was presented mostly as a delicate, fragile woman, while Aurora Taytes had just made herself the first female general in history. It's only natural that the Warren family was more than happy to agree to the marriage. Yet, unbeknownst to the world, Carissa's martial talent was never beneath her father and brothers. If given a chance on the battlefield, she would definitely outshine Aurora Taytes, perhaps a million times more... Just then, Lulu had brought over the dowry list, "My lady, this year alone, you've spent over six thousand silver coins supporting the household. However, the shops, houses, and estates remain untouched. All the bank savings, along with the property deeds and land titles your mother left, are locked up in the chest." "I see." Carisse's gaze lingered on the list with melancholy. Her mother had given her such a substantial dowry, fearing she might face hardship in her husband's home. Yet now here she was. The Warren family had disregarded all her effort, and Barrett had even broken his vow to take no concubine - the very promise that led her mother to choose him over more eligible suitors, despite the Warren family’s fall from grace. 'Was this really the life mother wanted me to have?' It took Carissa no time to made up her mind. “Lulu, get prepared. There's somewhere we need to go tomorrow.” ... Early the next morning, Carissa and Lulu boarded a carriage, heading straight for the royal palace. It was noon by the time they arrived. Under the scorching autumn sun, Carissa and Lulu stood like statues in front of the palace gates. They waited for a full hour, but no one came to let them in. In the palace's study, Derek Walker had already reported Carissa’s arrival to the king three times. “Your Majesty, Mrs. Warren is still waiting outside the palace gates,” he repeated. The king, Salvador Quinton, set aside the document he was reading and rubbed his temples. “I can’t summon her in. The edict has been issued, and can't be taken back. Tell her to go home.” “The guards tried to persuade her, but she refused to leave. She’s been standing there for over an hour without moving.” Salvador felt a pang of guilt. “Barrett requested the marriage as a reward for his military service. I didn’t want to agree, either, but not granting it would embarrass both him and General Yates. They have after all won a big war.” “Your Majesty, when it comes to military achievements, no one can compare to the Marquis of Northwatch,” Derek countered. Salvador thought of Hector Sinclair, the Marquis of Northwatch. When Salvador was a crown prince who had recently joined the military, it was Hector who had guided him. Back then, he had also known Carissa when she was only a cute kid. Salvador himself had fought a bloody path to the throne, paved with death. He understood the struggles of military officers, so when Barrett requested marriage as a reward, Salvador had hesitated but eventually agreed. But Derek was right. In terms of military merit, Barrett and Aurora were far inferior to Hector Sinclair. “Alright, let her in. If she agrees to this marriage, I’ll grant her whatever she wants, even if it's a noble title or an official rank,” said Salvador. Derek breathed a sigh of relief. “As always, you're wise, Your Majesty!” ... Carissa knelt in the study with her head bowed. Recalling that Carissa was now the only one left the Sinclair family, Salvador felt nothing but pity for her. "Rise and speak," he commanded. Carissa bowed deeply with her hands clasped. "Your Majesty, I know it's presumptuous of me to seek an audience today. But I also wish to implore for your grace." "Carissa Sinclair, I have already issued the edict of marriage. It's impossible to revoke it," Salvador said. Carissa shook her head gently. "Your Majesty, I'm not imploring you to reverse that edict, but imploring you for another edict - an amicable divorce with General Warren." The young king was taken aback. "Divorce? You want a divorce?" Carissa nodded her head firmly. She was never someone to pester some man. If Barret Warren loved Aurora Yates so much, then she would let him go. What she needed now was a single edict for an amicable divorce, so she could take away all her dowery and get rid of the despicable Warren family for good, dignified and head high...	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2,256,633	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2256492}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	😍Read the next chapters👉	Chapter 1 Everyone called her a party girl. This time, however, Mia Shaw finally met her match. The whole city was waiting to see her make a fool of herself. There was a dinner party following her breakup with her ex. Unexpectedly, she hooked up with the most esteemed man in Hampshire City at this party. He was the perfect husband, but he had one fatal flaw. … The ballroom was dazzling with lights and elegantly dressed guests. In the southeastern corner, Victor Gray was chatting up a beautiful woman. He had his arms wrapped around her, and he was completely unaware of Mia approaching. “Victor, I heard you and Mia have set a date for your marriage. Congratulations!” “I never said I’d marry her. Now that she’s done fooling around, she wants a decent man to settle down with? It’s wishful thinking on her part.” His friend was surprised. “Haven’t you been pursuing her for years?” “I was only pretending to be in love with her.” Victor caressed the woman’s waist and replied indifferently. “Everyone else has had their fun with her. I’m not about to marry someone like that.” Mia was shocked. Victor had always appeared devoted to her. Although she was not particularly fond of him, she had taken their engagement seriously and even announced it herself. She usually rejected others, but it turned out that she could be rejected too. Right then, someone noticed her and started signaling to Victor. Victor received the cue and turned around. He panicked for a moment when he saw Mia. But he quickly hid it and pretended to be unbothered. “Since you’ve heard everything, let’s clear things up. I invited you here to break up with you, not announce our wedding. Ivy’s conceived, and I need to accept responsibility.” The crowd turned their eyes toward them. There was surprise, but mostly jeers. After all, Mia getting dumped was quite the show. Despite her tarnished reputation, she had been lucky enough that the Gray family was willing to accept her. Without Victor, who else would want her? No matter how enchanting she was, everyone still treated her like dirt. Mia remained composed and showed no reaction. She then scanned the room until her gaze landed on a handsome man in the corner. She was looking at Nolan Locke, the Locke family’s wealthy and aloof heir. This family had a century-old empire and held a near-royal status in Hampshire City. Even the Gray family had to respect them. She gracefully walked up to Nolan in her champagne-colored gown. Mia had such refined beauty that it was as if she had been sculpted by a master. Nolan assessed her with calm eyes as she wrapped her fingers around his tie and gave it a few twists. He narrowed his eyes but did not stop her. She leaned in and whispered, “Actually, I had my eye on you first, but I couldn’t resist Victor’s relentless pursuit. Now that we’ve broken up, I’d like to pursue you. Is that okay?” Victor was the first to react. He nearly jumped up and scoffed loudly. “Mia, are you crazy? Trying to salvage your dignity by going after Nolan? He’s a good friend of mine. What makes you think he’d give you any attention?” Mia ignored him as if his words were just white noise. Her shimmering eyes stayed fixed on Nolan as she waited quietly for his response. There was a hint of interest in his dark eyes, and he smirked. “Sure. You can pursue me. Don’t mind him.” As soon as he spoke, the room erupted into murmurs. Even the boastful Victor was taken aback. Mia was not confident that Nolan would entertain her advances. The Gray and Locke families were family friends, so Nolan would likely reject her. If he did that, she would also be humiliated. However, she did not care. Dignity was something she had lost long ago. She suddenly expressed interest in Nolan just to spite Victor. She released Nolan’s tie and prepared to leave. However, he grabbed her waist and pulled her close with his hand firmly on her back. His deep voice was full of allure. “Didn’t you say you wanted to pursue me? Leaving already?” Mia frowned slightly. Nolan was not playing by the rules and being even more proactive than she had expected. She only mentioned that she would pursue him, not that she would start immediately. But since they were still in public, she had to keep up the act. Her fingers crawled up his neck as she murmured shyly, “There are too many people here.” “Alright. Let’s go somewhere less crowded,” Nolan easily agreed and surprised Mia with his compliance. He wrapped his arm around her as everyone watched. Victor’s shouting followed them while they exited the ballroom, but Nolan ignored him. Eventually, Victor caught up to them. “Nolan, you’re taking this joke too far.” Nolan turned back calmly. “Weren’t you just playing with her? You wronged her first, so don’t put the blame on others. I’m taking her away.” With that, he led Mia downstairs. Mia felt a bit awkward. “Mr. Locke, thank you for helping me out.” Nolan had always been Mia’s type, both in terms of appearance and personal qualities. When she first met the men, she was indeed more interested in Nolan. But Victor announced that he wanted to woo her, so all his friends avoided her to prevent any misunderstandings. Otherwise, she might have actually pursued Nolan herself. Nolan looked at her. His affectionate and inviting eyes seemed to whisper sweet nothings. “Do you really want to pursue me?” “Maybe I’ll give it a shot. There’s no one I can’t win over,” Mia replied. Nolan smiled faintly. Perhaps he was amused, or he found her amusing. “Pursuing me won’t be easy.” “I’m not afraid of a challenge.” “Then, show me your sincerity.” Mia looked at him in confusion. Forty minutes later, she understood what he meant by “sincerity.” He had taken her to a hotel. As they fell onto the large bed, Mia felt a little disoriented. What was this? She had never heard of showing sincerity by starting in bed. This sequence seemed illogical. By the time she realized what was happening, there was no turning back. The soft and clean sheets beneath them creased and ruffled. Nolan had a reputation for being chaste and unmotivated by lust. Meanwhile, Mia was a reputed vixen of the city. But at that moment, she felt that Nolan played the game far better than she did. In reality, Mia was still innocent, and Nolan was her first. Midway through, he seemed to realize this as well, and surprise flashed in his eyes. “You’re...” Feeling embarrassed, Mia pretended to be impatient. “Are we doing this or not? If we are, hurry up. I don’t like men who talk too much in bed.” Nolan raised an eyebrow in amusement, and an unreadable smile crossed his face. After a heated night, Mia woke up late the next morning. But Nolan was nowhere to be seen in the room. Her clothes were hanging neatly on the couch beside the bed and within easy reach. Last night, they had been scattered all over the floor. So, Nolan probably tidied the place when he got up. Chapter 2 After Mia changed her clothes, Nolan returned to the room. Mia was slightly startled. “I thought you had already left.” Nolan remained silent, and his gaze fell on the spot where she had slept. The white sheets bore a red stain. Nolan’s expression was complex. Rumors had painted Mia as a woman who had been with countless men, and everyone thought that her dignity had been tarnished long ago. He never expected her to be the first time. Mia thought he might be worried that she would use this to cling to him. So, she spoke first, “Don’t worry. I have no hang-ups, and I won’t expect you to take responsibility. This was my choice.” Sleeping with a handsome man like Nolan did not feel like a loss to her. His skills had matched his looks, and she had enjoyed it. It seemed fair. Nolan was about to say something but paused. He chose his words carefully before he finally said, “A single night doesn’t really mean anything.” Mia nodded in understanding, as this was within her expectations. Nolan called for room service, and soon, they delivered a lavish breakfast spread. Both of them sat at the table and ate in an oddly silent atmosphere. Mia accidentally smeared some of the sandwich she was eating on her lips. She was about to wipe it off with a napkin when Nolan reached across and steadied her chin with one hand. Then, he wiped the smudge off with the thumb of his other hand. It was a moment of closeness in their sober state. Unexpectedly, Mia felt her face warm up. “Mia, once you start pursuing me, you can’t pursue anyone else,” Nolan said as he looked intently at her. Mia was taken aback. “Why not?” Nolan frowned, and he was puzzled by her question. Mia explained, “If I’m the one pursuing, the initiative is mine. If I can’t win you over, aren’t I allowed to give up and pursue someone else?” Her logic stumped Nolan for a moment. Mia added, “Besides, I’ve decided not to pursue you anymore.” Nolan furrowed his brows even further, and his demeanor became cold. “What did you say?” “We’ve already slept together before I’ve had the chance to pursue you properly. Do I really need to continue?” Mia spread her hands. Nolan could not help but laugh, albeit bitterly. He remembered the rumors painting Mia as a party girl. She truly lived up to her reputation. “So, you pursue someone just to sleep with them?” The usually aloof Nolan Locke was almost driven to say something as undignified as “Even if you have my body, you won’t have my heart.” “Not really,” Mia admitted and felt a bit guilty. “But it’s not like you’d actually marry me.” “Who says it’s impossible?” Nolan replied slowly. Mia was stunned. Although the Shaw family was part of the elite, it did not compare to the century-old, prestigious families like the Gray and Locke families. The Locke family was influential in real estate, tourism, energy, finance, and more. Mentioning the Locke family in Hampshire City alone could shake the ground. Families clamored to align themselves with the Locke family through marriage. The Shaw family did not come close. Would the Locke family really consider her? Was Nolan just playing with her? Mia put down her cutlery. “I’m full. Could you please take me home, Mr. Locke?” Nolan was frustrated, and he felt that she was not taking him seriously. After a drag, he nonchalantly said, “And here I thought I had met someone interesting. Miss Shaw, you might as well go back on your own. I’m not headed that way.” Mia picked up her bag and stood up gracefully. “Mr. Locke, don’t bother trying to provoke me. I may not have the best reputation, but I have my principles. I won’t be anyone’s mistress.” Mia’s aunt, Ellen Shaw, had pressured her to marry a man over seventy to escape her circumstances, but she was not about to jump from one cage into another. She sought an equal relationship. Only then would she have the freedom to pursue what she wanted. Mia turned to leave, but as she opened the door, Nolan’s voice rang out. “I can’t promise I’ll marry you, but becoming an official couple isn’t out of the question.” Mia stopped in her tracks. She really needed to improve her status, especially if she wanted to be with someone as influential as Nolan. Only then would she not be treated like a commodity or be handed out to anyone who showed interest. Ellen had tolerated her past relationship with Victor because of the Gray family’s status. Since Victor had broken off their engagement, Mia was worried about facing Ellen at home. Her suggestion for Nolan to drive her home had also been strategic. If Ellen saw that Mia had gotten with Nolan, she would likely be less critical. “Really? I’ll hold you to it, then.” Mia turned around with gleaming eyes. “I don’t have many virtues, but the one I do have is loyalty!” Mia knew that it would be tough. However, with Nolan’s heart softening, she was no longer afraid about not winning him over. She may not have much experience in pursuing others, but she was well-versed in being pursued. With sincere intentions, she was sure that she could turn this small opening into a real opportunity. Nolan began to walk away. After a few steps, he noticed that Mia had not followed, so he turned back with a frown. “Aren’t you coming?” Mia feigned ignorance. “So, we’re headed the same way now?” Nolan did not reply this time and just continued walking. Bouncing after him, she caught up and entered the elevator with him. Her exquisite face carried a hint of playfulness. Nolan’s expression remained impassive, and his tall figure exuded a silent coldness. However, he seemed less unapproachable next to the woman with a bright, blooming smile. Eventually, Nolan dropped Mia off at her home. The car glided smoothly up to the front of the villa without any attempt to hide. “Thank you for the ride, Mr. Locke,” Mia said as she got out of the car before bowing slightly in gratitude. “It was on my way,” Nolan replied. The car window rolled up and obscured his face behind the privacy glass. Then, the car pulled away. Mia stood there and remained polite as she watched him drive off. She took her time to enter the house. While she bent down to change her shoes, a fierce female voice bombarded her with questions, “Where were you last night? You didn’t come home! And who dropped you off?!” Ellen was standing at the center of the living room, and her stern gaze was fixed on Mia. Mia’s mother had passed away early on, while her father never provided for her. He was mostly reliant on his brother and sister-in-law’s charity throughout his life. As they did not have children of their own, Mia’s father had shamelessly exchanged her for a substantial sum of money. Ellen had been meticulous in Mia’s upbringing by making her attend classes for piano, cello, dance, horse riding, and golf. Everything a lady of a wealthy household should know, Mia had to learn. Everyone praised Ellen for her generosity toward a child who was not her own. But only Mia knew that Ellen saw her as a valuable asset. She was to be groomed for an advantageous marriage. As such, Ellen was particularly strict with Mia; she allowed her almost no personal freedom. “It was Nolan Locke, the Locke family’s eldest son.” At the mention of Nolan’s name, Ellen’s face immediately lit up. “The heir to the Locke Group, Nolan Locke?” Mia nodded quietly. Ellen quickly dropped the subject. Mia scoffed inwardly. Ellen did not truly care whether she was fooling around with men. All that mattered to Ellen was the status of the man involved and whether he could be of benefit to her career. Chapter 3 “Tell me. What’s going on with you and Victor?” “We broke up. He initiated it.” “The engagement announcement was already made public. Do you think this is some child’s play?” “He cheated, and that woman is carrying his child. It’s better this way. I don’t want to have anything to do with him anymore.” “Useless!” Ellen cursed. However, it was unclear if she was scolding Victor for his lack of morals or Mia for failing to secure her man. Ellen grew increasingly angry. She strode over to Mia and poked her temple. “Do you really think you can level up to the Locke family? What makes you think someone like Nolan Locke would care for your background? I’ll lay it out for you now. Either you make up with Victor and continue with the wedding or start accompanying me to social events again and prepare for an arranged marriage.” The mention of an arranged marriage made Mia shiver. Previously, Ellen had mentioned a property tycoon in his seventies. The man had outlived two wives and had numerous children, some old enough to be Mia’s parents. The first thing he did was demand that Mia devote herself to serving his entire family after marriage. This was not a marriage proposal; it was a job offer for a maid. Mia had also heard that despite his age, the tycoon was notoriously promiscuous. He had ruined many of his young lovers, which included celebrities. Ellen only stopped pushing her for more matchmaking after she started dating Victor. The reason was his family background was comparable to the tycoon’s. … Ellen sent Mia back to her room. Shutting the door, Mia threw herself onto the bed and rolled into the covers. Tears silently streamed down her face. She just needed to hold on a little longer. Once she received her appointment notice from the Hampshire City Art School, she could move out and escape Ellen’s control. Mia then took out her phone. Victor had been bombarding her with calls and messages. He was questioning why she was hooking up with his friend. Annoyed, Mia immediately blocked him. Nolan’s number, which she had recently added, lay quietly in her address book. It seemed like they had reached some kind of agreement, but she still felt that he might have been impulsive. He could very well forget about their arrangement. So, in the following days, Mia did not reach out to him or see him. She was busy with her new job. Ellen did not allow Mia to rest for long. She was eager to bring her along to high-society parties and business gatherings. At the events, Ellen and Mia moved through the crowds as they exchanged toasts and pleasantries. Mia was a stunning beauty, and naturally, she became the center of attention. Many wealthy businessmen and political figures gave her favorable attention. So, who said beauty was not valuable? In such environments, beauty could indeed translate into a certain amount of worth. In one evening, Ellen had secured several significant business deals. Meanwhile, Mia had exchanged contact information with many influential people. At the end of the party, Ellen suddenly pushed Mia toward a construction magnate. “Mr. Tate, I’m entrusting Mia in your care tonight. If she does anything unsatisfactory, please be patient.” “Mrs. Shaw, please don’t mind us. Don’t worry. Once Mia has had her fun, I’ll escort her back.” Even Mia, who often played the fool, understood the implication. Despite her notorious reputation, some people were still eager to court her. However, Mia would turn many down and offend them by using her relationship with Victor as an excuse. Unfortunately, Victor had just dumped her before their engagement. She had lost any bargaining power in marriage negotiations. Rather than waste her youth and beauty, Ellen decided it would be more profitable to send her to interested executives as a form of benefit exchange. The realization sent a chill through Mia’s body. She also felt heartbroken because she could not believe that Ellen could be so cruel. “Are you tired, Mia? Why don’t you sit down over there?” George Tate came closer with a smile that revealed his ulterior motives. He did not give Mia a chance to reject. Instead, he put his arm around her shoulder and guided her toward a secluded corner. His motives were glaringly obvious. His urgency had been apparent even during the party. Mia endured his advances with disgust while she quickly thought of ways to get rid of the old lecher. Once seated, George did not hesitate to place his rough hand on her behinds. Mia stood up abruptly. Her face was pale, but she held back her anger for the Shaw family’s sake. “I need to use the restroom. I drank too much.” “Alright, go ahead. But come back quickly.” George’s smile lingered as he watched her. To him, she looked like a lamb that could not escape his grasp. Mia quickly walked in the opposite direction. She did not really know where the restroom was; she just wanted to get away. However, George followed her. Alarm bells rang in Mia’s head. She started to run even though her mermaid-style evening gown made it difficult. Worried about being caught by George, Mia pushed a random door open and found herself face to face with Victor. Victor was sitting right in front of the door on a couch. He was playing cards with a few acquaintances whom Mia recognized. What made the situation more awkward was that Victor’s new girlfriend, Ivy Brent, was also present. His body tensed when he saw Mia. Sensing Victor’s discomfort, Chris Hughes followed his gaze and spotted Mia too. He was seated next to Sam Andrews, so he gave him a nudge with his elbow. “What’s the matter? Is it too cramped, or are you trying to flirt with me?” As Sam looked up, his words got caught in his throat as if he’d seen a ghost. “You guys were right. She really couldn’t stand being away from Victor. Look, she’s already back,” he said. “Victor, she must be here to confront you!” Seeing Mia, Ivy’s innocent face instantly turned pale. She clung tightly to Victor’s arm, and her look of distress made it seem as if Mia was the aggressor. Victor glanced back at Mia but ignored her presence. “Are we playing or not? Let’s continue.” “Victor, I’m not feeling well... I think I want to go home...” Ivy whispered. “What’s wrong? Do you need to go to the hospital?” Victor asked gently. His concern was evident. Sam could not bear to watch Ivy’s act and directly addressed Mia, “Mia, Victor and Ivy are happy together. What are you doing here? Ask yourself. Weren’t you also at fault for what happened between you two? Ivy’s a thousand times better for him than you ever were. Be sensible and stop bothering him.” Mia had no intention of entering upon seeing them. “You’re all mistaken, I was just looking for someone and walked into the wrong place,” she replied coolly and stepped out without missing a beat. Right then, her primary concern was George. Distracted, she turned and bumped into someone’s arms. Chapter 4 Mia’s reaction was almost reflexive as she pushed the person away in a panic and nearly stumbled from retreating. Nolan’s expression darkened slightly as he steadied her. “What happened?” He had been with the group in the private room too. Initially, he and Victor had a falling out, but it did not take long for Victor to seek him out. Victor felt that a woman like Mia was not worth losing years of brotherhood over. So when Victor came out for fun, he called Nolan to join him. To Nolan’s surprise, he ran into Mia. His gaze drifted downward, and he noted the curve of her waist. There was no question that she had an appealing figure. Her waist was slender enough for him to hold with one hand, and her skin looked like porcelain under the warm light. Her entire being seemed soft and delicate. Anyone who saw her would yearn to get a closer look. However, the fear in her eyes was evident; she was clearly scared of something. When Mia realized that it was Nolan, she stopped, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips. Just then, Victor’s voice echoed from the room. “Nolan, what’s taking you so long? We’re all waiting!” Nolan hummed in response and released Mia before he entered the room. Mia stood frozen for a second. Nolan and Victor had been at each other’s throats not long ago, but it seemed that all animosity had disappeared. That figured. Why would she be worth sacrificing their brotherhood, which began in their cribs? She did not deserve it. Although she had not actively pursued Nolan or tried to contact him recently, his detached demeanor suggested that he did not care. His pcraziness in bed that night contrasted sharply with his current indifference. Men like Nolan were at the pinnacle of the social pyramid. To them, brief flings were nothing more than trivial distractions and not worth any emotional investment. He had likely forgotten the promises he had made that night. Mia smiled bitterly to herself and headed toward the outdoor area of the lounge. Many guests were getting some air there. All of a sudden, someone with a strong hand pulled her into a security passageway. A man pinned her against the door while he restrained her hands. His manly, overpowering scent flooded her senses, and she was terrified. Mia tried to kick the figure before her, but he stopped her with his leg. “So rough,” the man teased. The motion sensor light came on, and Mia saw Nolan’s face. “Why are you here? What are you doing...?” “I stepped out for fresh air. What are you sneaking around for?” Nolan asked without changing their compromising position in the secluded space. His tone was devoid of emotion yet somehow laced with underlying desire. Mia was contemplating asking him for help when George’s voice echoed down the corridor. It struck her like thunder. “Mia, stop hiding. The restroom is in the other direction. Come out. Let me take you there.” George’s tone made her stomach turn. She stopped pushing Nolan away and gave him a pleading look instead. She was hoping that he would not hand her over. Initially resisting physical contact, she suddenly seemed to find solace in Nolan’s arms. Seeing Mia cling to him like a frightened kitten, Nolan raised his brows in curiosity and watched the unfolding drama. He was familiar with George Tate, a material supplier who had risen to wealth in recent years. George was known for his predatory behavior toward female college students. Considering Mia’s situation at the Shaw residence, it was not hard to guess what was happening. However, unless Mia spoke up, Nolan was not inclined to intervene on his own. “So, aren’t you going out? He’s looking for you,” he whispered close to her forehead, and his breath tickled her. Mia clenched her fists and found the humiliation unbearable. “Can you help me?” Her voice was low and desperate. Nolan replied, “You only seek me out when you need something. I’m not some saint or one of your on-call lackeys.” Mia took in his words for a moment. Was he calling her out for not keeping in touch? She glanced at his face with bright eyes and playfully scratched his waist with her slender hand. As Nolan looked down, his gaze intensified. His lean muscles tensed under her gentle touch as well. She then stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. His lips were dry and cool. They also had a lingering scent of tobacco and mint. Mia had no plans to deceive Nolan. She knew too well that tricking him would be like walking into a trap. So, she gave him what he wanted instead. She could tell by his gaze that his intentions were not pure. With that, she kissed him carefully and grazed the surface of his lips without much skill. She sensed that Nolan was not particularly impressed as he looked at her indifferently and observed her attempt to please him. Feeling challenged, Mia wondered if she was not attractive enough for him. She intentionally leaned closer, and their lips met. When she gently bit his upper lip, she sensed his breath faltering slightly. His dark and intense eyes were filled with desire. Just then, Mia deliberately stopped and pulled away. No sooner did she step back that she felt his arms wrap around her waist. He pulled her back toward him and kissed her. This time, he took the lead with precision and skill. It did not take long for Mia to feel overwhelmed and breathless under his assertive embrace. Soon, she was leaning weakly against his chest. Nolan’s breathing was uneven as he shifted her against the door for support. His advances became fierce and relentless. When he finally released her, Mia’s lips were numb and probably swollen. For some reason, it felt like he was punishing her. Although she was breathing heavily and covered in the scent of tobacco and mint, she did not find it unpleasant. However, she did not realize how enticing she looked. The pleading gaze in her moist eyes made her appear innocent but provocative. Passion was still in the air when the doorknob suddenly turned. Nolan calmly caressed Mia’s hair and hid her by the door before he opened it. “Mr. Locke?” “What’s with all this racket?” Nolan responded with displeasure. With an embarrassed smile, George said, “I was looking for someone. I must’ve made a mistake.” Nolan did not have to say another word for George to scurry away. He then closed the door behind him. “Thank you,” Mia said. Nolan responded, “I’ll take you home in a bit. Now that George has seen you with me, he probably won’t bother you anymore.” Mia nodded obediently. As Nolan stared at her, he saw a seemingly innocent girl who was actually heartless and crafty. He felt that she could manipulate a man’s emotions effortlessly while appearing clueless and innocent. Victor’s companion, Ivy, kind of reminded him of Mia. The motion-sensor light dimmed, and an eerie silence settled in the darkness. Nolan’s sharp and possessive gaze was fixed on Mia. He seemed predatory and ready to pounce at any moment. During these tense seconds, Mia could feel him staring at her. Her heart pounded, as though it was about to leap out of her chest. Nolan took a step closer, and his tall figure loomed over her. Chapter 5 Just as Mia thought Nolan was about to do something, his phone started to vibrate in his pocket. Nolan answered the call, “What’s up?” “Where are you? You vanished again after you sat down. You didn’t go chasing after girls, did you?” Victor’s voice was particularly clear in the quiet environment. Nolan glanced at Mia and asked meaningfully, “What are you worried about?” “What am I worried about? Don’t flatter yourself. Who is worried about you?” “You’re worried about who I’m with?” “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Suit yourself. I had to beg you to come out anyway,” Victor grumbled as he hung up. Mia and Nolan knew him well enough to understand that he was feeling guilty. She could not help but laugh. “Others would think that you two were the ones in a relationship.” Nolan shot her a look as the motion sensor light came back on, and the previously ambiguous atmosphere disappeared. He then headed for the door. “Let’s go.” He was back to his distant and refined self. Mia followed him and admired his tall figure from behind. Nolan dropped Mia off at the villa where she lived with Ellen and her husband. However, Mia never told Nolan that if she did not leave with George Tate tonight, Ellen would not let it slide. Ultimately, it was a family issue. Forget Nolan, even a saint would get annoyed if he had to help more than once or twice. Anyway, Mia had guessed correctly. As soon as she arrived home, Ellen ordered Mia to kneel in the study. The study was unheated, and it was freezing in the deep winter. Mia was wearing an evening dress. Plus, she had just handed over her fur shawl to the housekeeper because the indoor heating was sufficient. Unfortunately, she was shivering in the study. Feeling resigned, Mia knelt on the floor. Her body turned stiff within minutes. Although there was a carpet, her knees ached from the hard floor. The door to the study opened, and Ellen entered with a thin whip. “Take off your clothes. It’s not worth ruining such an expensive dress to punish you.” Mia complied and removed her gown. A huge area of her skin was then exposed. She felt cold and humiliated. Ellen whipped and scolded her for over forty minutes. When Ellen was finally tired, she left Mia in the study and went off to rest in her room. She had been drinking quite a bit, so her blows were harsher than usual. Mia’s legs had gone numb by then. With trembling hands, she picked up the gown next to her and draped it over her body. She sat in the study for a long while before her legs regained some sensation. She tried to stand but fell back down. The pain from the fresh wounds on her back was excruciating. Just then, the housekeeper, Sally, entered. She was shocked. “Good heavens! How could the madam be so harsh?!” Sally approached Mia, and her eyes welled up when she saw the wounds on Mia’s back. In this household, Sally cared for her more than her own aunt, Ellen. Soon after, Sally helped Mia back to her room. Unable to hold herself up any longer, Mia collapsed onto the bed as soon as she touched it. Her body suddenly felt heavy and extremely tired, but she forced herself to stay awake a little longer. In the end, she managed to grab her phone to call Nolan. After five or six rings, he answered the call, “Hello.” His deep, magnetic voice sounded in her ear. Mia gathered her strength and tried to sound normal. “Nolan, it’s me, Mia. Did you get home safely?” “Yes. I just got home.” “Thanks for tonight... I owe you one. Let’s have dinner sometime when you’re free.” “We’ll see.” Nolan paused, then asked, “Tired?” Despite Mia’s efforts to conceal it, she sounded weak and breathless. To the uninformed, it would sound like she was on the verge of falling asleep. “Yeah… I probably drank too much tonight.” “Rest early.” Nolan was always aloof and concise. Mia said goodbye and placed her phone down before she lay on her pillow. Immediately after, Sally came in with iodine and medicine. Seeing Mia’s flushed skin and cracked, bluish lips, Sally touched her forehead. “Oh! Why are you so hot? I need to tell the madam that we have to visit the hospital!” “No… Ah!” Mia cried out in a panic and accidentally agitated her back wound. Even though she was a prideful person, she was still frail. The pain brought tears to her eyes, and caused her to sob softly. Sally was both distressed and anxious as she hurried back. “Okay. We won’t go. I’ll apply some medicine for you, and you can take some anti-inflammatory pills later. Have a good rest after that.” Unbeknownst to them, Mia’s phone call was still active. Confused by her fever, she never hung up, and her phone had slipped next to the pillow. Nolan had waited for her to hang up first out of politeness. However, he ended up hearing Sally checking her temperature. She was sick? No wonder she sounded so low on energy. Nolan was not one to meddle, and her fever was none of his business. Yet, for some reason, he did not end the call and continued to listen. He then discovered that Mia had been beaten upon getting home. He further learned that Ellen had sent her own niece to a lecherous man and beaten her when she failed to meet their expectations. Nolan found the Shaw family quite interesting. His assistant, Ethan Lewis, was sitting in the passenger seat. At this moment, he handed Nolan a report. “Mr. Locke, please look at this report—” Nolan raised his hand to stop him, and Ethan immediately fell silent. On the phone, Mia’s faint sobs continued. Her high fever left her weak and her voice soft. “Sally... it hurts so much...” “Oh, dear… I’m here. I’ll stay with you… I feel like crying too when I see you like this. You’ve grown into such a beautiful woman. How could the madam do this?” Soon, the murmuring subsided, probably because Mia had fallen asleep. However, Nolan could still hear some faint sobbing. He finally hung up. Ethan then handed Nolan the report, and he started reviewing it attentively. “What do you think about the Jewel Bay tourism development project?” he casually asked. Ethan was taken aback. He did not know why Nolan would suddenly bring it up. Thinking it over, he realized that the Shaw family had secured the Jewel Bay spa project. Nolan had been quite close to Mia recently, so maybe he was considering helping her? “Policies have been leaning toward developing new areas lately. I think it’s worthwhile for our travel investment team to assess it. But if you’re thinking of helping the Shaw family’s company, that might be an overuse of resources.” Nolan looked up with a glint in his obsidian-like eyes. “Who says I’m helping the Shaw family? Are they even worthy?” Ethan immediately apologized, “Sorry. I was wrong to assume.” He was quite frightened. In his eight years working under Nolan, he had never seen him pull strings or make compromises for a romantic interest. Ethan knew that Nolan always prioritized business. He was famously impartial and unemotional. The only person who could get him to break this rule was the Lowe family’s heiress. Apparently, she was about to return to the country.	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=12974&ut	Indulge in story	https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/	818	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	beokn.com	DCO		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=12974&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/457039082_858274872590522_1245720028016644283_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zyRNPLyW8NsQ7kNvgG5ql9S&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A2DNXhrVI1FC7xzw_nBFpTO&oh=00_AYA3MaMv1LGdaYG3tBakDD-9zxfb5czqMS07deV4vtBkAQ&oe=671B8C20	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Indulge in story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,248,818	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2249542}'	No	2024-10-20 19:34	active	1668		Are you ready for some football and Belleria!!?? Call 330 638 1226!! Plus it’s our football weekend pizza giveaway! Sunday TUB OF PASTA SPECIAL. FOOTLONG PEPPERONI ROLLS. BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER AND BBQ CHICKEN PIZZAS. WRAPS. WINGS AND MORE!!!	LEARN_MORE		Cortland Belleria Restaurant	https://www.facebook.com/CortlandBelleria/	3,571	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more		MULTI_IMAGES			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464104549_565052242587385_6464012180766361804_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=JicxY8goxYcQ7kNvgEiGur-&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Ausm5-hkrc0FC7OkSaye8Db&oh=00_AYBjWFHQGkge-RG8uXX_iMvGOZVxse0ijQe_P4877O-rRA&oe=671B875A	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Cortland Belleria Restaurant	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,250,315	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:45	active	1669	This Costa Rican Tea Revitalized Me!	Ok, so I have to confess to something…. People often think I look good because I eat like a rabbit or spend hours at the gym. 🥗 But it’s this Costa Rican tea my doctor told me about. I started drinking it in June and I am filled with energy all day long! I never thought it would be possible at 61. I love the new me! 😍	LEARN_MORE	https://www.kellyswellnesswell.com/lp5172678689982	Kelly's Way	https://www.facebook.com/100086888084826/	9,301	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	kellyswellnesswell.com	DCO	{{product.description}}	https://www.kellyswellnesswell.com/lp51726786899820	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464194983_1086317609715361_401592468629458840_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=1rmORZSD7xoQ7kNvgFNEaPx&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A5xPyMm2GvVy42g35Gkha0r&oh=00_AYDGroBNF-XBgmhe8REX_q8Njk3MHEmU6IqGWeMMdoYbNA&oe=671B60A9	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Kelly's Way	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,257,004	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":true,"simple_request_ratio":0.22839506172839505,"is_bh_selenium":null,"selenium_ratio":null,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-10-20 21:25	active	1671	🔥SAN LUIS R.C🔥 ⌚️ SMART WATCH ULTRA ⌚️ MODELO 2024 🔴SERIE 9 🔴 $$ 399 P	🔥SAN LUIS R.C🔥 ⌚️ SMART WATCH ULTRA ⌚️ MODELO 2024 🔴SERIE 9 🔴 $$ 399 P - MX$399,00 🔥SAN LUIS R.C🔥 ⌚️ SMART WATCH ULTRA ⌚️ MODELO 2024 🔴SERIE 9 🔴 $$ 399 PESOS $$$ 🔥INCLUYE 3 y 4 CORREAS 🚫🚫 PROTECTOR DE PANTALLA DE REGALO 🎁🎁🎁🚫🚫 ⌚️S9 ULTRA⌚️ 🔴🔴 MODELO nuevo 🔴🔴 ⚡️A SOLO 399 PESOS ⚡️ 🚙 ENTREGAS A DOMICILIO 🚙 🚗🚗INMEDIATAS 💨💨 💦CONTRA SALPICADURAS💦 🚨GARANTIZADOS 🚨 ⌚️PANTALLA MÁS GRANDE ⌚️CARGA INALÁMBRICA ⌚️ÚLTIMA VERSIÓN 2024 Características: ⭐️Monitor de sueño ⭐️Conteo de pasos ⭐️Distancia recorrida ⭐️Calorías gastadas ⭐️Guía telefónica (hasta 8 contactos favoritos) ⭐️Ritmo cardíaco ⭐️Oxigenación ⭐️Presión arterial ⭐️Funciones deportivas (saltar, correr, caminar, bicicleta) ⭐️Realizar / Contestar llamadas ⭐️Notificaciones SMS, Redes Sociales ⭐️Cronómetro ⭐️3 perfiles de reloj ⭐️Restablecer reloj ⭐️QR de descarga de App ⭐️Reproducir / Cambiar / Pausar música 🎶 ⭐️Personaliza fondo de pantalla ⭐️Alarma ⭐️Recordatorio de sedentarismo Facebook Marketplace	CONTACT_US	https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/390583430640	Omar González	https://www.facebook.com/Omar-González-172773439258809/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Contact us		IMAGE		https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/3905834306405842/	1969-12-31 18:00		REGULAR_PAGE	1	Omar González	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,253,699	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 20:24	active	1670	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Hello reading	https://www.facebook.com/61552535188096/	47,676	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	VIDEO		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=798859118295947&rawadid=120216253909510091	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462682541_1294693595025050_588528661064916113_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=nsYKsicYhhsQ7kNvgEg7Zmo&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQoRnqUHUhfLcUl6L-EGEGc&oh=00_AYBPJJdYy7fed0NVG5XWequW51Pt45-vn4xgHcn9Zpukvg&oe=671B8007	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Hello reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
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2,251,233	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2251231}'	No	2024-10-20 19:54	active	1669	Read next chapter 👉	"In three days, you will attend the Rejection Ceremony," my father said to me. I was Lily Bray, the omega illegitimate daughter of the Alpha. I was forced to reject my mate Matthew because my father wanted my sister to take my place to marry him. "I, Lily Bray, reject you, Matthew Hunter" I said. I could feel the mate bond fully snap, which hurt so much. "Now, you will be marrying Garrett Hunter." Said my father. Garrett?? The disfigured, rejected brother of Matthew? Haven't I suffered enough?! I felt like being offered up on a silver platter to a predator, at least I thought so until I meet him... ______________ Lily Bray stood in front of the mirror admiring herself. Her skin glowed from her previous run with the pups of the pack. Even though she was the daughter of the Alpha, she enjoyed helping out with the pups. 'You should wear the red dress,' Dina, her wolf, suggested. 'You're just being petty,' Lily replied as she looked at the dresses on her bed. The festive red would be the best choice since all her other dresses were too bright for the winter. She picked it up and looked at herself in the mirror. 'No, I'm not. Matthew said we look nice in red. We should wear it! It's also one of the colors in his pack,' Dina added. Lily smiled at the thought of wearing the colors of the Grey Blood Pack. She, of course, was going to be their Luna after the mating ceremony. The very thought of it made her blush. Who would've thought that she would be mated to a future Alpha? 'We deserve it, no matter our rank! Matthew doesn't care that we are an Omega, so we shouldn't care anymore either,' Dina said confidently, 'Put on the red dress.' Lily didn't need to be convinced as she quickly began to get dressed. She could hear the clicking of heels and immediately knew who it was before she heard the voice. "Lily, what's taking you so long?" Her sister, Brandy, yelled from outside her bedroom door. "Coming!" Lily quickly put on lip gloss and smoothed out the wrinkles in her festive red dress before rushing to the door. She opened it to see Brandy standing there looking uninterested as always. "Took you long enough," Brandy said. She looked her up and down and her eye twitched slightly before saying, "Cute dress." Anyone that didn't know Brandy would have thought she was complimenting Lily, but Lily knew better. Brandy disapproved of everything she wore and did. "You're just upset that you couldn't find the dress in your size," Lily retorted. She knew that Brandy was looking at the dress. It wasn't her finest moment to be so petty, but she found some satisfaction from it as Brandy always got what she wanted. Brandy replied with a scowl, "That dress is old news. I found one that was much better and more fitting for me." She walked past Lily, making sure to bump her with her shoulder. Lily resisted the urge to snarl. She would not let her ruin the evening. Brandy wore a low-cut black form-fitting dress with black heels. Her hair was pulled up high in a ponytail. She had blush on her cheek, and she wore bright red lipstick. 'She looks like a street walker and ugly at that,' Dina commented. 'That's not nice,' Lily responded. 'It's the truth. You should hear what Mable says about you. Brandy can't even dress decently at home. Who is she flaunting for?' Dina countered. Dina never liked Brandy as she tormented Lily growing up. Everything had to be her way and if Lily resisted, Brandy made sure to hurt her in some way. As soon as Lily could shift, Dina made it her business to take a swipe at Brandy. Lily and Brandy entered the dining hall where her parents were. They were sipping wine and talking but stopped as soon as they entered. "Oh, you look so lovely!" her mother said to Brandy. Lily had to refrain from rolling her eyes as Brandy practically glowed from her mother's compliment. Brandy gave Lily a smug look before sitting next to their mother. Her mother gave Lily a momentary glance before saying, "Oh, Lily. You know, red isn't a good color for you, but at least you've been eating well at school. How are your studies going?" "I passed all my exams. Straight As again," Lily said happily. Lily sat down in front of Brandy, her mother, and her father. She thought it was odd that they were sitting across from her but pushed the thought out of her mind. Her mother casually remarked, "That's lovely, honey," before changing the subject as if concluding a formality. "Do you have that dress I mentioned, Brandy? The one in white?" "Yes, I did. I got it at a discount too. We had a credit once we returned the other dress," Brandy explained. Lily lost her enthusiasm when she understood that, yet again, no one was interested in what she had accomplished. She poured herself a glass of wine and downed it. Lily looked at her father, who seemed too busy to greet her while he was looking at his phone. 'Do not worry about them. We have mates now. They will be our family,' Dina said to cheer Lily up. Lily only had to look forward to returning to her dorm and the upcoming mating ceremony. She would be where she was wanted, with Matthew. Her mother and Brandy had been conversing when her father cleared his throat, drawing their attention to him. Her father said, "I am happy that you are doing well in your studies, Lily, but there won't be a need to go back in the Spring." "What do you mean?" Lily asked. "Now that you are mated, it is not a productive use of your time. You must get ready to be a devoted mate," Her father responded. "Well, I can do both. I have already worked it out. I will be able to attend Luna lessons during the day and school at night," Lily explained. She spent a lot of time and effort with the academic advisor to make that arrangement. "That money could be used for something else, like your sister's mating ceremony," her father proposed. "Brandy! You have a mate?! That's exciting! Why didn't you tell me? We can go dress shopping together!" Lily exclaimed happily. Brandy scoffed and said, "You won't need a dress. Daddy, just tell her already. This is just sad." "Tell me what?" Lily said, looking confused as she turned to look back at her father. "Tell me what, Dad?" "I had a discussion with Alpha Jack of the Grey Blood Pack. His son, Matthew, will become the new Alpha in a few months. His father and I have agreed that Matthew needs to have a strong mate by his side to lead the pack successfully," Lily's father explained, "And that is not you." Lily felt as if her whole world had been turned upside down. She didn't know if she wanted to scream or cry. How could they make this decision for her? "In three days, you will attend the rejection ceremony, and then in a week, you will have a mating ceremony with someone more on your level, his brother, Garrett Hunter." CHAPTER 2 You're an Omega Lily stared in horror at her father. She couldn't make sense of what he was saying. Why would Matthew reject her? When they talked on the phone all day, he never mentioned it. "You're joking," Lily said. "You have to be joking." Her father scowled at her because he disliked repeating himself. He paused for a moment to collect himself before saying, "This is no joke. You will be marrying Garrett Hunter." When Lily heard her father say those words, her heart sank. "I am his fated mate. We're meant to be together. Why would he want to reject me? There must be a mistake!" "Lily, you're an omega. No respectable Alpha would want you as their Luna. We're saving you the agony of having to deal with your mate having a mistress," her mother explained, "and it's not like you won't have a mate." "It's what you deserve, Lily. Garrett is perfect for you," Brandy said smugly. Garrett? Garrett Hunter?? The disfigured, rejected brother of Matthew? This had to be some sort of joke. They couldn't possibly be serious. But her parents were not laughing. Lily slid her seat back and stood up. She ran back to her room, slamming the door behind her. Brandy stood up to bring her back downstairs, but her mother stopped her. "Leave her alone. There is nowhere she can go. This is something she must accept," her mother stated. "Pick up the phone, Matthew. Come on!" Lily murmured as she dialed his number for the tenth time. It just rang again and again until it went to voicemail. Lily didn't bother leaving another voicemail because she had already left five. Lily sighed in frustration and tossed her phone to the floor before pacing the room. Why would her parents subject her to such cruelty? Wasn't it enough that they treated her like trash because she was an omega? But now they were going to take this away from her as well?! Lily nearly crashed into the wall to get to her phone when it buzzed on the bed. Her heart sank again when she realized it was Tiffany, not Matthew, calling. Lily answered the phone. "Hey girlie! It has been hours. What was the dinner about? Are you…" Tiffany started. Lily interjected and said, "Can I come over? I can't stay here. Please say yes." Hearing her tone, Tiffany became serious and asked, "What's wrong? Your sister is bothering you again?" "No. It's much worse. Please tell me I can come over," Lily pleaded. "Yes, you can come. I am not leaving for my parents' until tomorrow. Where are you? I can come to get you," Tiffany offered. "No. I will come to you," Lily said, "Thank you." She quickly hung up the phone. Lily went to her closet and grabbed an overnight bag. She yanked her dress off and changed into a t-shirt and workout pants. Lily then began packing items she didn't want to lose and enough clothes to get her through the holidays. She had no intention of coming back here. The door to her bedroom swung open, causing Lily to jump. She turned to see Mira, one of the omegas working in the kitchen. Mira placed her finger on her lips before she slowly closed the door behind her. "They told you," Mira said. It was more of a statement than a question. It made Lily sick to her stomach. Everyone had been smiling in her face. Did everyone but her know? It was humiliating that this was kept from her. "I was commanded not to tell you. I really wanted to." "It's fine, Mira. I know you wouldn't betray me," Lily responded. It would be physically impossible for Mira to go against a command. Perhaps if she were a Gamma or even a Beta, but as an Omega, the pain of it would have killed her wolf, which would've killed her. "I won't let them force me," Lily declared. "I can't let them take one of the only things that have made me happy." Mira and Lily grew very close growing up. As they were both omegas and Lily was excluded from high-ranking wolf activities, she spent most of her time with Mira. Mira's father, the pack doctor, was the reason she wanted to become a doctor in the first place. "Then, let me help you," Mira said, "I can get you out of here. They planned to leave you alone for the rest of the weekend." "You can't. If they find out…" "They'll assume I helped you even if I didn't. I'll be beaten no matter what, but I won't die," Mira countered, interrupting her. "Dad is already outside with a car to take you wherever you want to go." Lily hugged Mira tightly. Mira smiled slightly, wanting to go with her, but she was bound to the pack grounds. Leaving or even going rogue would harm her father's position in the pack. She couldn't risk it. "Thank you, Mira," Lily said. Tiffany opened her front door to see Lily standing like a beat dog in her doorway. Lily waved to the car that drove away. Tiffany pulled her into her home and quickly closed the door. Lily immediately began sobbing uncontrollably. "Lily, what's going on? What happened?" Tiffany asked, leading her to the sofa. She had already prepared Lily's favorite meal as well as hot cocoa. "They are trying to force me into a rejection ceremony," Lily managed to say. "What? Why? They can't do that. It'd be spitting in the Goddess' face. You could end up cursed or worse," Tiffany exclaimed. "They don't care. They don't think I'd be a fit for him because I'm an omega," Lily stated. "That's not up to them. That's up to the Goddess, and the Goddess wants you and Matthew to be together," Tiffany stated. "They don't see it that way. They…" Lily stopped in mid sentence as a horrible pain gripped her chest. She gasped as she clutched her chest and tried to slow her breathing. "Lily? Is it one of your panic attacks?" Tiffany asked. Lily could only nod, unable to speak as she concentrated on breathing as the pain radiated through her. She suffered from panic attacks for a long time. Lily assumed it was because of stress. It would eventually fade, thanks to Dina's assistance. Lily gasped in relief as the pain began to fade, and she said, "I'm okay now." "You need to speak with Matthew. You two can elope, and they won't be able to do anything about it," "Elope?" CHAPTER 3 The Fated Mate's Betray "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Tiffany asked as she walked Lily out of her apartment. She didn't want to leave her in such a terrible situation. "No, I need to do this alone," Lily answered with a weak smile. She couldn't get in contact with Matthew all night. Lily needed to speak with him. Whatever happened between her and Matthew, she would have to deal with it alone. Lily didn't want to get her too caught up in her family drama. "Well, you know where my spare key is," Tiffany said. "Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. Matthew and I will elope, and everything will be fine," Lily said. Tiffany smiled slightly, but Lily noticed that her eyes looked somewhat sad. She had known Tiffany long enough to know that she was holding back. Before Lily could ask Tiffany what she was thinking, Lily's cab arrived. Tiffany hugged her again and said, "Keep me updated. You know my parents will accept you with open arms. They said the offer is still open if you want to join my pack." Lily nodded and got into the cab. She waved goodbye before telling the cab driver, "10 Armstead Place." The cab driver nodded and drove off. The drive didn't take long. All the while, she could feel a stabbing pain in her chance. It was another anxiety attack. She had never felt so bad before. "Ma'am, are you okay?" the cab driver asked, noticing her distress. "Yes, I am fine. Thank you," Lily answered. "Just having a little panic attack, I think." 'It's the stress,' Dina said to her. 'I am doing everything I can to dull it. I can't reach Baldur. I don't know why he isn't responding to me. Do you think our father or maybe his father did something?' Baldur was Matthew's wolf. He was as happy as Dina when they learned that they were mates. As much as Lily and Matthew talked on the phone, Dina and Baldur communicated more telepathically. 'It could be. I can't believe it. I don't want to believe that Matthew would agree to this. Maybe he is cutting off all communication because he doesn't want anyone to find him. No one knows about his apartment in the city,' Lily responded. The city was a neutral zone for all supernatural creatures. Pack hierarchy or mutual dislike of different races wasn't tolerated here. The elders made it a point that all supernatural children grew up aware of others to squash any ignorance. It was a good idea in theory, but many outside factors were at play. People couldn't help but judge one another. "We're here," the cab driver said, bringing Lily out of her thoughts. She pulled out $40 from her wallet and said, "Keep the change." She got out of the car and rushed up the steps to Matthew's apartment. Lily had been there more than once over the weekend. Her family never knew when she was home, and she wanted to keep it that way. When it would get bad at home, Matthew was a reprieve for her as Lily didn't want to have to deal with her family any more than she had to. Lily quickly grabbed the spare key under the mat and opened the door. She stepped into his apartment, and the pain seemed to intensify. Lily gripped her chest and almost fell face-first into the carpet. She used the wall to move further into his apartment. There was a smell that she couldn't quite place. It made her hackles rise. She felt angry for no reason. 'Find him now,' Dina growled within her. 'What's wrong?' Lily asked, but Dina only responded with a growl. "Oh, Matthew, deeper! Oh, fuck yes! Pull my hair!" An all-too-familiar voice broke the silence, and Lily could now hear the slapping of skin. As she approached his bedroom, it became increasingly louder. Lily swallowed hard as she tried to process what she was hearing and what she didn't want to believe was happening. Lily's hand shivered as she was about to place her hand on the door. 'We must see this,' Dina growled. 'Open the door.' Lily slowly pushed open the door. There in front of her was Brandy, her sister, on all knees, back arched, while her fated mate was thrusting in her with abandon. Brandy lifted her head and smirked at Lily. It finally clicked now. Matthew didn't answer his phone because he was with her. The anxiety attacks, the waves of pain were Matthew making love to her. Lily was almost catatonic as she watched the betrayal before her eyes. This was supposed to be her. She had waited years for him, and here he was having sex with this whore in front of her. "Oh, I'm fucking coming," Matthew groaned as he released into Brandy. Brandy's eyes rolled in satisfaction as she bounced back against Matthew, milking him of every drop. Lily gripped the side of the door frame, her claws going straight through as she tried to compose herself. The sudden movement caused Matthew to look up. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw her. "Oh hello, sister. Did you enjoy the show?" Brandy mocked as Lily walked into the room. Lily said nothing as she approached Brandy. With all her might, Lily slapped Brandy hard enough to send her into the headboard. "You bitch!" Brandy yelled as she gripped her head in pain. Lily slapped her again before Matthew caught her wrist. She used her other hand to slap Matthew across the face with strength she didn't know she had. Her claws left gashes on the side of his face. "Lily, what the hell?" Matthew exclaimed. "Don't ever speak to us, you filthy dog," Lily growled out. Her eyes were silver as it was Dina now talking. "All this time, you betrayed us for this slut!" "You have to understand, Lily. I didn't have a choice. I…" "Enough of your lies! I will go through with the rejection ceremony. We can do it tonight because I want to be rid of you. I'll take whatever curse the Goddess dishes out!" Lily screamed before storming out, leaving the door wide open. CHAPTER4 The Rejection Ceremony "Don't you think that is inappropriate?" Kenneth asked his Luna from the doorway of their bedroom. "Not at all. It is a joyous occasion," Mandy said as she applied burgundy lipstick and stood up. She brushed the wrinkles out of her blue sweater dress as she looked herself over in the mirror before approaching him with a slight smile. "You should change. That suit is so depressing." "The suit is proper attire for the custom. You shouldn't take this much glee in her suffering," Kenneth responded, causing Mandy to frown. Mandy scoffed and said, "Don't try to act like you care about the little brat now. Don't be a hypocrite. You could care less and this arrangement will benefit the both of us." "At least make it believable in front of the Hunters," Kenneth reasoned. Mandy rolled her eyes. Of course she would behave. What kind of idiot did he take her for? "Come. You wouldn't want to keep Lily waiting," Mandy said condescendingly. Again, Kenneth didn't respond and followed Mandy to the entertainment hall. Both packs were in attendance. Both acknowledged their presence, showing their necks to them both. Alpha Jack and Luna Kelly looked agitated by the entire situation. The Luna of Grey Blood Pack was very against the rejection ceremony. However, she didn't have much say in the situation since both Alphas agreed to it. "Where is she?" Kenneth asked one of the omegas that were serving wine. "She is coming, my Alpha. We are watching her closely. There is no chance she will run away again," the omega answered. Kenneth nodded and walked to the stage with Jack following behind him. He took a spoon to his wine glass to get everyone's attention. "Thank you for joining us here tonight to celebrate the union of two great packs," Kenneth began and turned to Jack, "It is an honor that our packs will be united." "Yes, we look forward to our unified strength," Jack nodded. "Lily, Brandy, and Matthew Hunter, please come up here," Kenneth said. Brandy quickly came to greet her father. Kenneth frowned at her attire as he reluctantly hugged her. She was always scantily clad, even after telling her to dress appropriately for the occasion. 'Like mother, like daughter,' Kenneth's wolf, Jasper, said before growling in irritation at seeing Matthew. Kenneth had recently learned that Matthew had been sleeping with Brandy behind Lily's back. As a father and a believer of old customs, he wanted to choke him, but it was better this way. At least one of his daughters would be a proper Luna. 'We should tear his throat out for humiliating Lily,' Jasper growled. 'Calm down,' Kenneth told him. 'You're a pathetic father,' Jasper responded before blocking himself from Kenneth like he always did. After a few minutes, Lily did not show. Kenneth frowned and he spoke over the microphone, "Where is Lily? Bring her here!" He didn't need her defying him in front of both packs. This union had to happen. "I am here, father!" Matthew stood on the stage awkwardly. He didn't expect that both packs would be here for this. Matthew assumed that this would be a private affair, but he knew his mother had to have had a hand in this. Kelly had been horrified and disappointed in Matthew when she discovered that Matthew had been sleeping with Lily's little sister. No one in their line had ever denied the Moon Goddess' will up until now. The only thing that calmed her was that Lily would still marry into the pack. Matthew didn't really want to be mated with Brandy. He just wanted to have fun before he was forever bound to Lily. However, he understood why his father wanted him to mate Mandy instead. An Alpha had to be seen as strong. A weak Luna was a liability. He could not rule a pack with an omega Luna. 'It is not the right choice!' Baldur growled within him. 'Why did the Moon Goddess curse me to be bonded to you until death? She is meant for us! You know it!' 'There is nothing we can do now. It is done,' Matthew responded. 'You fool. You're going to regret this.' Baldur warned before Matthew suppressed him again like he always did when he didn't want to hear what he had to say. After Kenneth and his father Jack's speech, there was a pause as they waited for Lily to appear. She had not shown up, which infuriated Kenneth. As he demanded to know where Lily was, her voice rang out. "I am here, father!" Lily emerged from the crowd, taking Matthew's breath away. There were murmurs from the crowd as they watched Lily. She wore a simple form-fitting strapless white dress with an overlay of lace. Her hair was pulled up in a bun, and a white veil covered her face. Lily wore her wedding dress to the rejection ceremony. When she got to the stage, she hugged her father, ignored Mandy, and curtsied to Alpha Jack and Luna Kelly before taking her position in front of Matthew. Lily kept a calm expression, but Matthew could see the fury in Lily's eyes. "Lily, I…" Matthew started, but she raised her hand, stopping him. Lily gave her hand to Jack and nodded to him. Jack smirked. This little female had sass. It was a shame that she was not an Alpha. Jack took the ceremonial blade and cut her palm. Matthew gave his hand to Kenneth, and he cut Matthew's hand. "I… I…" Matthew stammered. He found that he could not bring himself to say the words. Everything in him told him it was wrong. "Father, I can't. I…" "I, Lily Bray, the first-born daughter of Alpha Kenneth Bray, and my wolf, Dina, reject you, Matthew Hunter, the first-born son of Kenneth Hunter, and your wolf Baldur for your betrayal of our mate bond with my sister, Brandy," Lily said firmly as she grabbed Matthew's hand. "Do you accept?" CHAPTER 5 Engagement Night There were gasps and murmurs from the audience, as no female in history has willingly rejected their mate. It was such a scandalous affair as both sets of parents wanted to keep it hushed that Matthew had been cheating, which was partly why the rejection ceremony was happening. Lily wasn't having any of it. Appearances be damned. They wanted to embarrass her publicly, so she wanted everyone to know the truth. "I… Matthew Hunter, the first-born son of Kenneth Hunter…accept your rejection," Matthew managed to say. As soon as the words left his mouth, he could feel their mate bond fully snap. Baldur howled in anguish within him as his bond with Dina snapped away even though he refused to accept the rejection. Lily fought the urge to collapse there on the stage. She welcomed the pain, embraced it as this was nothing compared to the anguish she felt over the betrayal. "I wish Matthew and Brandy well with their upcoming mating ceremony," Lily finally said. She turned to leave but was stopped by Brandy's grip on her wrist. "We accept your blessings dear sister. We hope to see you at our mating ceremony as I won't be able to go through with it if you aren't there by my side," Brandy said with a smug smile, wanting to see Lily lose her composure. Lily resisted the urge to scream at Brandy and punch her in the face. She kept her face calm and relaxed despite an eye twitch. Lily pulled her wrist free before grabbing her hand with her bloodied hand. Lily looked deep into Brandy's eyes trying to convey the hatred and anger she felt for her through her eyes. It didn't go unnoticed that Brandy stepped back due to the intensity of Lily's gaze. "Of course, Brandy. I wouldn't miss it for the world," Lily answered before removing her hand from hers. With another curtsy, Lily left the entertainment hall. She didn't collapse into tears until she reached her bedroom. "Dad! You can't be serious!" Lily exclaimed as she was dragged down the hallway by her father. After the rejection ceremony, Lily stayed in her room to mourn the loss of her mating bond for two days. She prayed and begged the Moon Goddess for forgiveness. Lily never wanted to do this, but she didn't have a choice. She couldn't be tied to an unfaithful mate for the rest of her life. On the second night, her father, Kenneth, kicked the door in to drag her out. Because Garrett didn't attend the rejection ceremony, Kenneth was hell-bent on Lily being bonded to Garrett immediately. After receiving a phone call that Garrett was back from a business trip and was staying at the Blueberry Suites, Kenneth knew that he had to get Lily to him. He forced her to go to the pack doctor to have every test done to show that she was still pure and genetically tested to show she had no defects before getting her ready to go to the hotel. "You shut up!" Kenneth exclaimed. "Do you know how your little stunt made us seem to the other packs?" "You look powerful and smart, right? That's what you wanted!" Lily snapped back and Kenneth slapped her. "You embarrassed us! You wore your wedding dress. You were supposed to be the regretful mate, not an over zealous harlot!" Kenneth raged. "Harlot? I'm the harlot? Of course, you wouldn't talk bad about your dear daughter Brandy," Lily retorted. Kenneth slapped her again and Lily growled in warning at him. "Don't you dare! You're not stupid. You should have known better. No Alpha will want an Omega. Because of your antics, Brandy can't even use your dress. By ensuring your bond to Garrett, Alpha Jack promises to pay for everything," Kenneth retorted. "What about what I want? You got what you wanted! Brandy will be Matthew's Luna! Why must you do this to me? You could disown me. You could expel me from the pack!" Lily asked as she was brought to a door. She should've taken her friend up on her offer to go out of state with her for the holidays. Perhaps she would've been able to avoid all of this. "You made your decisions and I have made mine. Maybe if you hadn't tried to keep your money from me, this wouldn't be happening. Your little stunt didn't work," Kenneth sneered. "No! That money doesn't belong to you! I worked so hard…" "You have no say! You only received privileges because you are my daughter. You hold no value. You are a tool and nothing else. The quicker you understand that, the better off you'll be!" Kenneth snapped, cutting Lily off. He pried the jacket off his daughter, revealing her attire: a silky white camisole. "Hopefully, he'll teach you how to behave and know your place in the world." For the first time in her life, she wanted to physically harm her father. Lily wanted to shift and maul her father, but she was still too weak from the broken mate bond. She was helpless as Kenneth opened the door to the room and shoved her inside, causing her to fall hard on her butt. Her father slammed the door in her face, locking it behind him. Lily beat on the door when she realized she couldn't open it. 'Calm down Lily. Let's see if there is another way we can get out,' Dina said. Lily nodded and began to explore the room. The room was decorated with honey hues, for they gave a sense of home away from home, of a place of nurturing safety. However, Lily didn't feel safe at all. She felt like her whole world had been turned upside down. Tonight was her engagement night as her father explained it. It was more like she was being offered up on a silver platter to a predator. When she realized the windows were locked and couldn't break them, Lily quickly turned the lights off and sat down on the bed. The room was now pitch black and eerily quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the fan that was hiding Lily's rapid breathing. Lily lay stiffly on the bed, feeling like her body was under a spell. She was unable to move. Lily heard the door opening, and light entered the room, blinding her for a moment. She closed her eyes in fright, afraid of what would happen next. CHAPTER 6 The Rumors Fear. Betrayal. Sadness. This was not what he expected. 'Am I in the right room?' Garrett thought as he entered the room slowly. Rumors were that Lily was no better than her sister Brandy that she too had stepped out on the mate bond. It made Garrett's skin crawl as he realized he had no choice but to be tied to this woman. So, he was shocked to feel how apprehensive she was towards him. A woman like that would be afraid of him. She would be excited to see him. He half expected to be pounced on. However, the reality was that he was faced with a she-wolf that did not want anything to do with him. "What have I said about involving me in your affairs?" Garrett growled into his phone after his father told him of the alliance with the Blue Creek Pack. "You already have what you wanted. Leave me out of it." "Do you really think you have a say in anything pup? You are still on my terf. You will do as I command you to," Alpha Jack responded nonchalantly which caused Garrett to become angrier. "You pompous…" Garrett stopped in mid sentence to compose himself. After taking a breath, he continued. "I did not agree to this. I told you to not interfere in my life! "I am your father, your Alpha even though you want to deny it. It is within my right to do what is best for you. But, by all means, leave. Denounce yourself from the pack," Alpha Jack stated smugly. "But, let me remind you that that would mean we will be going to court as 80% of all your businesses are partly owned by the pack." "What are you on, old man? Every business deal I made was with my own money. I made sure of that," Garrett responded. "Check with your accountant. I own you and you will do what I tell you boy!" Alpha Jack declared while chuckling. Garrett swiftly hung up, fired his accountant, and began his research as he never went into a business arrangement without knowing who his partner was. To say he was disgusted would have been an understatement. This was not an alliance for power. It was an alliance for money. Alpha Kenneth Bray was a deplorable man for more reasons than he could count and all of this started because he was short on money. His youngest daughter, Brandy's, gambling addiction had gotten out of hand and he spent almost his entire fortune paying off Brandy's debt. Kenneth took a loan from a loan shark and now, the loan shark wanted to collect. Kenneth had to repay with interest on money he didn't have. And if he did now, the loan shark would take ownership of his businesses and land. This would lead to so many issues, so Kenneth came up with the idea to persuade Alpha Jack to choose Brandy over Lily as the new Luna. It almost didn't work as Alpha Jack didn't care about Lily not being an Alpha; however, after finding out Brandy was pregnant with Matthew's pup, Jack agreed to it. 'Perhaps the rumors were not true,' Berric, Garrett's wolf, said. 'Perhaps,' Garrett agreed as he could see the trembling form in bed. He couldn't see her face as she was hiding underneath the quilt. Garrett lifted the quilt off her slowly. He caressed her arm, noticing the bruises, but Lily shrank away from his touch. When he attempted to touch her again, Lily slapped his hand away. "You… you could at least introduce yourself," Lily stammered out. Garrett chuckled before removing his hand and said, "I am Garrett, but you already know that. Are you afraid, Lily?" His voice was low and husky. If she were in a different situation, Lily would have thought his voice sounded good. But in her current state of high mental tension, he sounds like a monster. "Yes, I am a little scared, but I can get past it," Lily responded with a nod as she trembled in fear. "I'll turn on the light. Maybe that will help," Garrett suggested. He leaned to the left to touch the switch on the wall, but Lily grabbed his hand tightly. "Don't..." Lily begged. She didn't think it would make it better. She was already nervous, as is. If he genuinely was disgusting to look at, Lily didn't think she could go through with this. Garrett remained still for a while before moving closer to Lily on the bed. He began stroking the side of her face. Garrett then cupped her face lovingly as he tried to ease her fear. "Sir, it's my first time. Can you be gentle?" Lily asked humbly. "Seriously?" Garrett responded in disbelief. "Why is that so shocking? I wanted to wait until marriage," Lily snapped, overcoming the fear for a moment as she was slightly offended. However, her fear came back with full force as she felt Garrett's hand shifting from her face. Garrett's fingers went down from checks to her slender neck, over her collarbone, and drifted over her chest. He leaned forward with his nose in the crook of her neck. Garrett inhaled and his eyes widened in shock. 'She's telling the truth!' Berric exclaimed in a happy yip. Lily sucked in her breath as she became stiff toward Garrett's touch. Her hands clenched the sheets as if she was going to rip through them. She began to focus on her breathing to keep from hyperventilating. "Do you know what it means to lie here with me tonight?" Garrett questioned. "It means I'm... yours from now on," Lily answered softly. Garrett chuckled again and said, "You don't have to treat yourself like an object, especially since I am not trying to do that." Lily didn't know what to say to that and remained quiet. This clearly was a transactional situation. She didn't expect love or anything else from him. "I need a wife, not a plaything. You need money. We can help each other," Garrett continued while he held her hand tightly. CHAPTER 7 Second Chance Mate "I don't need money. My father needs money," Lily muttered under her breath. "What did you say?" Garrett asked. He clearly heard her and was surprised by her brazenness. "Nothing," Lily replied weakly. Lily wanted to tell him no, tell him that he was ruining her life, and tell him that she did not need money. It was her family. She had never experienced something so shameful as her experiences before tonight. Lily wanted to reject him, but where would that leave her and her family? "I wanted to apologize for what my brother did to you. I don't know why my parents agreed to this," Garrett remarked in a light tone. He had no desire at all for her to be embarrassed in such a manner. Garrett just wanted to know if she was untouched. He knew a thorough physical examination occurred but it was so easy for results to be fabricated. Smelling her, confirmed for him that there was no question. Lily was untouch. When Lily recalled being poked and prodded by the pack doctor and the pity she felt from him, she felt a chill run down her spine. All the questions that were asked still made her blush in embarrassment. She concluded that Garrett, not his mother and father, was the one who wanted this. It shocked her to hear otherwise. Lily whispered her response, "It's all right." There was nothing she could do to defend herself. She couldn't complain because she knew her family needed the money, and why not be bound to him? Lily had already lost her mate and her family didn't want her. Nothing mattered. Lily merely wished this man did not turn out to be some sort of pervert. "All I ask is that you be gentle." 'This is wrong. She is in so much pain. I can hear her wolf crying. Your brother is a bastard,' Berric, Garrett's wolf, said to him. He was intrigued by Lily's smell. He couldn't quite place the scent, but as soon as he saw her, he knew that couldn't go through with rush mating with her. Lily was still healing mentally. Lily withdrew her hand from his and stopped putting up a fight. She anticipated he would ravage her within the next second after he had already sprung upon her. However, she was surprised when Garrett covered her with a blanket. Lily questioned, "What's the matter?" "You wanted to wait until marriage. So, we will wait. When you're ready, we can continue," Garrett answered and exited the room. As quickly as she could, Lily switched on the light since she had no idea if Garrett was teasing her or not. She had the intention of following him, but she didn't have the courage to do so. The only thing left of the man was his strong cologne. The back of a chair close to the door was covered in a dress and Lily's jacket. She waited for a little over ten minutes to make sure that Garrett hadn't changed his mind. After hastily putting on her clothes, Lily exited the room. She entered the elevator, ready to head to Tiffany's house. Lily couldn't go home. 'I'll just have my belongings delivered there. That way I won't have to face them,' she thought. Unexpectedly, when the elevator doors opened, there was a huge group of reporters standing outside the entrance, waiting for her to appear. The sight of it made Lily's face go pale. Her image was going to be plastered all over the latest headlines. 'So much for word not spreading', Lily thought. The flashing lights all landed on her at the same time, and the microphone was so near that it was almost touching her face. Lily covered her eyes with her hands until they diverted the light away from her face. A reporter questioned in an aggressive manner, "We received a tip that you and Garrett Hunter, the second son of the Grey Blood Pack, are engaged. Is this true?" Another reporter inquired, "Where is Garrett Hunter, and why didn't he come out with you?" A third reporter approached Lily and asked, "You are here alone. Was Garrett disappointed in bed?" This question was so disrespectful that Lily couldn't help but glare at the third reporter. It was common knowledge that Garrett was an unattractive man with little interest in finding his mate. People assumed it was due to some disability. When Lily attempted to go back inside the elevator, she discovered that she could not reach the button to get the elevator door to open. Cornered, she had no choice but to respond to their inquiries. The Hunter family was deeply involved in various political activities. By sending the reporters to this location, someone was obviously trying to target Garrett and put the Hunter family and their pack in a negative light. 'I have to be careful with what I say.' Lily reasoned to herself, 'I absolutely cannot botch this, or it will be all over the gossip magazines in the morning.' The action that was taking place outside of the hotel could be seen clearly from a car that was parked directly across the street from the hotel. The driver watched the event play out before dialing someone on his cell phone. The driver said, "Sir, it seems someone released information about your movements tonight. Do you want me to handle it?" The individual on the other end of the line said, "Yes. Don't scare her." Right at the moment when the driver stepped out of the car and began to walk across the street, Lily proceeded to confront the reporters. She quickly put on a calm demeanor and smiled at them. Lily clarified, "Garrett had something to do, so he left first and let me rest. I couldn't get out of bed right after because my legs were so weak." The reporters were shocked by Lily's forthrightness, as they had not anticipated receiving this response. It was almost to the point of obscenity, yet classily done. "Then, Ms. Bray, the rumors regarding the appearance of Mr. Hunter, is it true that he is..." another reporter continued, but Lily swiftly cut him off. "My fiance is naturally the most handsome wolf in the world, but have any of you seen his genuine face? My mate prefers to keep a low profile, and I am amazed that representatives of respected companies would stoop so low as to believe in unsubstantiated rumors," Lily chastised. "So, publish this. Ladies don't believe rumors; find out for yourself. You might miss out on a man who has a huge heart and will do anything for you." Nobody would have thought Lily was being coerced into a marriage after she enthusiastically spoke of "her fiance." In any case, considering that no one had ever seen the real Garrett, there was no one who could dispute what she said about him. "Well, then that must mean you get around, Ms. Bray. You mated with Matthew Hunter no more than two days ago. You rejected him, and now you are engaged to Garrett Hunter. How could the Grey Blood Pack want such a promiscuous female in their pack?" one of the reporters said.	LEARN_MORE	https://fatednovel.readlife.mobi/669r8cffh00.html	LunaNovel	https://www.facebook.com/61558678536937/	56	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fatednovel.readlife.mobi	IMAGE		https://fatednovel.readlife.mobi/669r8cffh00.html	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463787909_3841558799496828_4272964214550759190_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kheNxXSn6HAQ7kNvgEmeSEq&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AaoNu8oMxSmiT0NJraP5mBe&oh=00_AYAct3D8hlJW2Ez0aVmoGqoU3sDJKFDcQjFKSL5kGSoygA&oe=671B7DB5	PERSON_PROFILE	0	LunaNovel	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,251,267	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:54	active	1669			VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/caitlinmcdonaldevents	Caitlin McDonald Events	https://www.facebook.com/caitlinmcdonaldevents/	81	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram Profile	instagram.com	CAROUSEL		http://instagram.com/caitlinmcdonaldevents	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463888329_513766884791634_6239862941771488093_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=WbrG8aKPbjYQ7kNvgEqbKDP&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Aztax_RwsHvDYzhEz5TUKtw&oh=00_AYBXavbY5ikO7Mu19ZTvgYlbj4gQTqPgBV3K-38qNzzgVg&oe=671B81CA	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Caitlin McDonald Events	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,255,688	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2256040}'	Yes	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	😍Read the next chapters👉	After three years of marriage, Nina finally slept with her drunken husband Nash, but he called out the name of his first love. When he woke up, he remembered nothing and said to her, "Find out the woman from last night!"... Nina Walker stood by the door of the suite, hearing a low growl coming from inside,"Get out!" It was followed by the sound of something breaking. She took a deep breath and walked in the room. It was a mess inside, Nash sat grimly on the bed. He looked tempting, but his handsome face was dark, teetering on the edge of rage. The woman she had brought was too scared to move, standing bared, with a hint of guilt in her eyes. Yes, Nina had called this woman to be here. she didn't want Nash to find out they had slept together yesterday. They had an agreement - three years of secret marriage, then they could divorce. She had been Nash's personal secretary for seven years and his wife for three. He had warned her that their relationship could only be that of superior and subordinate, never to transcend this hierarchy. Nina stepped forward and said, "Mr. York, there's a meeting at 9:30, you can get up now." Nash's gaze was coldly fixed on the woman. As if he still found it unbelievable. Sensing this, Nina said to her, "You can leave now." The woman breathed a sigh of relief, quickly picked up her clothes and hurried out. Nash's face remained stern as he asked Nina coldly, "Where were you last night?" Nina was momentarily stunned. Was he suspecting her? She felt a bit nervous, "I've been dealing with exhausting projects lately. I fell asleep in the office." As soon as she finished speaking, she heard Nash snort coldly. His face turned cold as he got up from the bed, grabbing a towel to wrap around himself. Nina watched his retreating figure, her eyes slightly moist. In her presence, he always concealed himself, as if being seen by her was something repulsive. But Last night, when he held her in bed and called out "Miranda", it was completely different. She saw the headline this morning: "Rising Star Singer Miranda Lewis Returns Home with Fiancé!" No wonder he had drowned himself in wine and cried in her arms. He had treated her as a replacement for his first love. Bitterness flooded her heart. By the time Nina snapped out of her thoughts, Nash had already finished showering and was standing in front of the full-length mirror. Nina walked over and, as usual, buttoned up his shirt for him. He was so much taller than her, so she had to tiptoe and reach up to put the tie around his neck. As she concentrated on tying his tie, Nash's warm breath brushed against her ear, his voice husky with tension, "Nina, that woman last night... it was you, wasn't it?"	LEARN_MORE	https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11490&u	Indulge in story	https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/	818	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	shgjfh.com	IMAGE		https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11490&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453435001_3029279163880579_5790921531443108329_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=1pr3te_20loQ7kNvgH6KMlB&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AStEx1bC6CN5f_kyGL5aGwb&oh=00_AYC8E3w6f9CmBsP-NNMCAcSZF4K6uT1fXLUawoiodxs12g&oe=671B781F	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Indulge in story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

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